


Scratch My Back

by BirdOfHermes



Series: The Thirst Trials [15]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alien Biology, Banter, Belligerent Sexual Tension, Blow Jobs, Canon Divergence - Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Deepthroating, Dirty Talk, Dom Loki (Marvel), Edgeplay, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Horny Loki (Marvel), Jotunn Biology (Marvel), Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Marvel Jotunn Culture, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Moon, Mating Rituals, Multiple Orgasms, No Strings Attached, Oral Sex, POV First Person, Possessive Loki (Marvel), Rough Sex, SHIELD, Scratching, Teasing, Verbal Sex, Wall Sex, Weird Biology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2020-07-24 00:57:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20017651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdOfHermes/pseuds/BirdOfHermes
Summary: You are a SHIELD agent assigned to monitor aliens who make their way to Earth, and you've just been sent off to a remote base in Alaska to study recently discovered creatures from Jotunheim. Loki accompanies you, and finds out that they have a peculiar effect on him. You can't exactly just let him suffer in silence, and so an arrangement is made that might end up benefiting both of you.





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> I really am not sure how this one popped into my noggin, but here we are. It's not often I like any sex pollen/mating ritual fics that I find, so I decided to do a variation on one. I don't want to imply that Loki and the Frost Giants are animalistic. I think this might be a decent way to explore the compulsion for sex and yet denial of sex, as well as (later) discussing Loki's self-isolation and self-loathing all in the same swing. We'll just keep it loose and see where this goes. 
> 
> Oh, and I am not drawing from any sort of lore at all. I am literally making it all up, so don't try to look this shit up. xD

_You are the only one that needs to know_  
_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_  
_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret_  
_Hope that you can keep it_  
_My dirty little secret_  
_Who has to know?_  
_-"Dirty Little Secret" by All-American Rejects_

Not a lot of SHIELD agents would be thrilled to be stuck alone with the God of Mischief for a week.

Not that I was. But I was the only one who volunteered. First off, the pay for the assignment was particularly excellent. Mr. Stark knew that one would need an absurd amount of compensation to put up with the cruel, eternally moody demigod who had decided to play nice after his rehabilitation and Asgard's relocation to earth. Second off, I wanted to put my best foot forward for the alien wildlife research department of SHIELD, as it would look fantastic on my resume and might provide me some much-needed accolades if I wanted to move up in my career. Third off, I actually had a pre-existing relationship with Loki, and while it wasn't exactly friendly, it was at least cordial.

A little known fact about the God of Mischief was that while he was certainly a diva and a borderline sadist, he enjoyed scientific discovery. Particularly wildlife. As Thor and Loki had both explained to our division, there were numerous pathways to earth from outside of our galaxy, and sometimes we ended up with visitors. Plus, the earth had become somewhat of a refuge for certain alien civilizations provided that SHIELD checked them out thoroughly first and they agreed to stay out of sight and play by our rules. Thus, we came in contact with multiple alien species on a monthly basis, some on purpose, some by accident.

The assignment was in Alaska. We'd gotten reports of strange sightings of multiple unidentified creatures, and we'd confirmed that there had been a recently opened portal in that region. There was a small ex-military installation that SHIELD acquired that would allow us to stay as we observed and investigated the creatures. We needed to determine if they were harmful, and if not, possibly either establish them a sanctuary or relocate them if they were hostile. We only resorted to violence in the case of serious threats or hostile sentient life.

I met Loki on a small plane with the navigation already punched in, lugging a week's worth of warm clothing and equipment into the loading bay. He gave me an amused glance as the bay doors closed behind us, his dark lashes low over his sea-colored eyes. "So. Just the two of us, is it?"

"Mm-hmm," I said noncommittally as I did a routine check of everything before securing the lift off sequence.

"Quite the risk you're taking," Loki mused. "Thousands of miles from any assistance by your precious SHIELD."

I snorted. "And why would I be needing their assistance?"

"Why, to save you from me, of course."

I rolled my eyes. "Do I need to remind you that I'm armed, Loki?"

He chuckled. "As if it would in any way help you, mortal woman."

After lift off, I plopped down in my seat and reached for my bookbag. "Like you're going to kill me and risk dying of boredom up there alone. You're not happy unless you're tormenting someone."

"I'm touched you know me so well. Dare I think we are going to have fun, you and I?"

"We're working, Loki. It's not supposed to be fun."

His smirk widened. "That is exactly my point."

I ignored him and opened my laptop to start some of my initial work in the wake of his soft, sinister chuckling.

The base was rather small, intended for short stays like our own, and so it only had about six rooms that served as the barracks, a kitchen, a laboratory, a surveillance room, and a hangar. It was underground, hidden behind layers of ice in the mountain side. SHIELD had sent a cleaning crew and maid service ahead of us to be sure everything was still in good shape.

Loki didn't have much in the way of manners, but he did at least help me carry the equipment from the hangar into the facility. He stalked off to choose his quarters while I stocked up the fridge so I could get dinner going soon, as we'd head out for our first observation in just a couple of hours. Technically, I wasn't supposed to run a night op with Loki, but I wanted to get started as soon as possible, and he was ample protection from any harm except himself.

He drifted by several minutes later, lingering in the doorway. There was an island counter at the center, and counters on two of the four walls with cupboards above them. There were plenty of dishes and utensils to get something basic started.

"Do you have any food preferences?" I asked the God of Mischief as I stowed the last can of beef stew in a cupboard.

Loki snorted and crossed his arms, scowling. "This is Midgard. I'm afraid all of your food is of the same quality."

I sighed. "Are you going to answer the question or not?"

"No, I do not have a preference for your meager attempts at sustenance," he sneered, and I rolled my eyes before grabbing a pot.

"Suit yourself. We'll head out after I'm done cooking, then."

"You speak as if you hold authority over me."

I tried not to grind my teeth. You're getting paid extra. Remember. Extra. "I'm not telling you what to do, Loki. I'm just reciting the schedule. You're going to do whatever the hell you want anyway regardless of what I say."

"Mm. At least you know your place, little mortal."

I shot a glare at him. He smiled toothily, just daring me to say something, but I forced myself quiet. He wanted a rise out of me, as always. Ignoring him was often the only way to get him to knock it off, much like an annoying adolescent boy. I felt his stare as I moved around preparing things for chicken mushroom soup--I wanted something hot and hearty to be waiting when we got back from the cold--and I hoped he'd wander off bored soon, but he stayed. I realized after a bit he wasn't just being a pain in the ass. He seemed genuinely interested in what I was cooking. He was a prince, after all. He'd probably never cooked a day in his life.

It was unnerving preparing the food in silence in front of him, but I kept it together and got it all in the pot to simmer until it would be ready to eat. I'd throw some crescent rolls in the oven when we got back for good measure. I washed and dried my hands, and took off the apron I'd brought with me, since stains were tough to get out of my SHIELD uniform.

"Finally," Loki groused as I brushed past him.

"Impatient ass," I grumbled under my breath.

"What was that, mortal?"

"Nothing," I said sweetly. "I'll fire up the jet if you wouldn't mind getting the equipment."

"I do mind, but I suspect you are too feeble to bring it all the way to the hangar by yourself."

"I'm not too feeble to wring your stupid neck," I muttered as I kept on down the hallway. "You Hot Topic-wearing, sarcastic, scarecrow-looking dickhead."

He met me in the jet by the time I had the initial flight check done and took the seat beside me, languishing in the chair. He placed his chin on one hand and stared at me, his eyes bright with amusement. "Shall I strangle you now or later?"

"Later," I snarked, glaring as I opened the hangar doors. "Hush, I'm trying to concentrate."

"What is a dickhead?"

I almost choked. "I am a god, woman. I have excellent hearing. Now, explain."

He lifted his eyebrows, waiting patiently for my answer. I cleared my throat and focused out of the windshield. "It's a term for a rude person."

"I thought Dick was a nickname for some of the men on your planet."

"It is, but it can also mean..." I blushed then, and hoped that firing the engines would mask the word I was about to say. "...penis."

The jet shot out into the wintry skies and over the treeline. Loki didn't speak for a bit, and I didn't prod him to, but he didn't give me very long. "Is the insult meant to imply that my features resemble a penis?"

I blushed harder and tried not to squirm. "N-No, it's more of a metaphor. A dickhead is someone who is rude or shallow or unpleasant to be around."

"Ah," he said. "Noted. Perhaps that'll be on your tombstone after I kill you. _Here lies the mortal dickhead._ "

I laughed before I could stop myself. Loki's elegant accent was not meant to pronounce that word. I wasn't sure, but I swore I saw a ghost of a smile on his lips. Must be my imagination.

The sightings were in a particular area of the thickly wooded grounds surrounding the base, so I landed us in a nearby clearing and braced myself against the cold as we left the jet. I pulled on night vision goggles and did a quick perimeter check, but there was nothing around. Loki didn't need anything, not even a winter overcoat, and trudged out in front. We examined the woods until we picked up on a trail that indicated wildlife, and then went deeper into the forest.

Loki slowed his long-legged steps and then raised one hand, his voice hushed. "They're nearby."

I nodded and fished out my binoculars, settling in next to a tree. We stood at the top of a hill, and there was a frozen river crossing our path about ten yards out.

And out on the ice stood an interesting creature.

It looked like a wolf from far away, but as I focused on it, I realized it seemed to be the exact middle between a wolf and a Kodiak bear. It had a canine head with rounded ears, but a thick, powerful body covered in shaggy white fur with huge paws. The river wasn't completely frozen solid, so it stood on the bank with a hole punched into it, lapping up the cold water with a long black tongue.

"Do you recognize it?" I asked Loki.

"A creature from Jotunheim," he told me. "They call them night bayers."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Quite," he confirmed. "But only when cornered."

I took out my camera and snapped photos. "Are they solitary?"

"No, they are believed to be pack animals. We will need to keep our distance and look out for others."

I was about to ask about the name, but then the creature lifted its head and let out a long, ghostly wail. As soon as it did, we heard five identical howls in response, which confirmed Loki's theory.

And then, something strange happened.

Loki went entirely stiff in front of me. Then he swayed and leaned one hand against the tree to steady himself, shaking his head as if something had gotten into it.

"Loki?" I asked, frowning in concern. "You okay?"

The wind kicked up and blew a peculiar scent over the area, like the musk of an animal. Loki shuddered and finally answered me, his voice low and tight. "We need to go."

I sputtered in disbelief. "We just got here. We have to track them to a den and--"

He grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the tree. "Now."

Loki was a thousand times stronger than me, but I was stubborn. I dug my heels into the frozen soil, but it didn't so much as slow him down. "Loki, what the hell, if you don't let me go this instant--"

He whirled on me then, snarling, "You are in danger, you foolish woman. Walk or I shall carry you."

I snatched my arm out of his grip. "Then that's all you had to say, you prick."

I followed him back to the jet and shut us safely inside it. "Look, if I'm in imminent danger, then we need some kind of backup plan--"

I almost jumped as he suddenly leaned down in front of my face, so close our noses nearly bumped, crowding me back against the pilot seat.

"That is thrice now that you have insulted me, mortal woman," Loki breathed. "I have killed for far less in my time. The next time you feel the urge to fling venom with that sharp tongue of yours, I will find something better to do with it."

"Gee, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had such delicate feelings, Loki," I spat. That was a dumb move. He could dispose of me with ease and yet I got irrationally angry that he saw fit to insult me but I couldn't return the favor. "Can you ever forgive me?"

He gave me a lewd little smile. "That all depends on how you intend to repent for your sins, darling."

"Don't hold your breath."

We stared at each other for several terse seconds. I stubbornly refused to break eye contact first, thanks to my pride. The longer I stared, the more I realized something wasn't quite right. I knew Loki as cold, calculating, smug, and indifferent. Right now, his pupils were dilated, his skin a little flushed, and he breathed more heavily than necessary. He was agitated, not just insulted. Why?

The God of Mischief rose to full height, still glaring at me. "Take us back to the compound, Midgardian."

I huffed and plopped down into the pilot's seat, not waiting for the bastard before I took off. We returned to the base and he stormed off to his quarters without another word. I ate dinner and logged all the information I had so far, downloading photos and creating a file for them in my laptop.

In the morning, I gave my supervisor an update and sent in a request for one of the Asgardians to give me a call so I could begin creating a strategy to examine the animals. One of our most regular contacts with them was a young woman named Vira and she called back within the hour.

"Oh, night bayers," she said, her blue eyes alight with excitement in the holographic feed of the call projecting from my phone. "Wow, they must be something to see in person, yes?"

"From afar," I joked. "I was told that they're not aggressive unless cornered."

"Yes, that's correct. Well, I can get you started with basic knowledge, but I'm afraid since Jotunheim and Asgard have never been on friendly terms, there is only so much we know about them. They are indeed pack animals, and their pack size tends to be between six and twelve. They are nocturnal, as indicated by their names. Their howls can be heard up to twenty kilometers away. The females are the larger of their species and they are the alphas. Their mating cycle happens around this time of year, so perhaps that is how they stumbled onto Midgard, searching for a den to begin mating season. When ready, the males and females both emit pheromones to indicate to each other that they're ready to find a partner, and it lasts for roughly a week. There are some rare cases of domestication according to a few sources in history, but that's the most we have in our records about them."

I finished my last bit of typing. "Trust me, it's a huge help anyway. I'll start by figuring out how much territory they occupy so we can safely observe outside of it."

Vira cocked her head slightly, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"Last night, Loki yanked me out of their vicinity," I said, not hiding my annoyance. "He said I wasn't safe."

"How close were you?"

"Maybe thirty kilometers or so."

"Hmm, that's strange of him. Typically, they do not attack outsiders. They're more curious than anything else."

I frowned. "Weird, but noted. I'll confirm once I head out today, then. Thank you so much for your help."

"Certainly. Do let us know what you find. We'll be eager to add it to the archives. Goodbye."

"Bye." I hung up and finished my notes, then stood to start making breakfast. I'd already brewed my coffee. Now I just needed some protein.

"Have you created the initial report, mortal?"

I shrieked and almost dropped the Teflon pan as Loki's voice slithered into my ears from inches away. I whirled to see him standing there with a smug look at having successfully scared me shitless. I gritted my teeth, took a couple deep breaths, and forced myself to calm down.

"Good morning to you too," I shot back, and then pointed at my laptop. "It's on there."

He stepped around me to head for the counter, and the back of his hand brushed my hip. A jolt of sensation leapt down my spine. I sucked in a breath, surprised, but he didn't seem to notice. Whoa, where the hell did that come from? Easy, girl.

"Do you want some tea?" I asked.

"Your version of tea on this planet is depressing," he answered without glancing up from the screen. "Do not bother."

I sighed and stashed the kettle. "A simple no would have sufficed. Are you going to eat anything? Or am I to assume you just go outside and swallow entire mice whole?"

He glared at me then. "Did I not make myself clear last night, mortal?"

"If you get to insult me, I get to do it right back, even at my own peril. Now answer the question. Do you want breakfast or not?"

"I am a god. I do not need sustenance nearly as often as your weak little species. Do not fret over me like a house Frau, woman."

"Fine," I snapped, slamming the bacon down on the counter. "Look, we're stuck in here with each other for a week. Can you not pick a fight with me every single time we're in the same room?"

"I will do as I damn well please with you, and you can do nothing in return, and you should be grateful that you are even allowed to be in my presence considering the fact that I am Asgardian royalty."

"If you don't want to be here, you are more than welcome to leave. I'm a trained SHIELD agent. I can protect myself."

Loki gave me an unsettling smirk. "Can you, now?"

"Those aliens aren't even aggressive, for God's sake."

"Oh, I know," he said as he closed in on me. "They're not the real threat here."

I scowled up at him as he towered over me. "I'm not afraid of you, Loki."

He chuckled. "You most certainly are, and for good reason. Do not mistake my patience for mercy."

"And do not mistake my lack of violence for fear," I sneered. "I haven't popped you one because I'm trying to remain professional, but if you keep threatening me, that's going to change."

Loki exhaled slowly, and his voice dropped to a tone so low it made the hairs on my arm and nape stand up. I'd never heard it before, and I felt as if few people ever had, in fact. "Is that right?"

He leaned in and pressed his hands to the counter on either side of me, trapping me between his arms and his body. I'd never been this close to him before. He smelled of pine oil. His lashes were longer than I'd thought. His cheekbones were sharp but appealing. If he weren't such an obnoxious bully, he'd be wonderful to see up close.

"What are you going to do to me if I do not stop, mortal?" Loki purred, his velvet voice dripping down my front as if he'd dragged his fingers over my t-shirt. "Tell me. In great detail. I am most curious."

I swallowed. Then I matched his cool tone. "A lady doesn't kiss and tell."

Loki stared at me.

And then licked his lips.

My eyes widened, and confusion swarmed through me all of the sudden. But before I could do anything, he'd pulled away with another sinister chuckle.

"We shall see," he murmured enigmatically, and then left me standing there, trembling slightly, utterly baffled as to what just happened.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Loki start your second night of observation, and the truth comes to light.

Despite the animosity, we left roughly an hour later to track the night bayers to their den. This was the part of fieldwork that I loved, even with my rude alien partner. We spent hours carefully examining tracks, documenting them, and photographing the forest. We found some of their choices for food and determined that there were four adults and two cubs in this current pack.

One benefit of the former military base was they had built some observation platforms up in the trees, so at nightfall, we decided to head up there to give the night bayers more room to breathe and to comfortably begin recording their movements and behavior. I didn't have a fear of heights, so it was no trouble for me to climb up the steps. Although I did wish I had a tether of some sort; I didn't trust Loki to catch me if I accidentally fell.

We'd only exchanged words a few times, both of us focused on our tasks, and I had to admit this was one of the only things I liked about Loki. He appeared truly interested in what we were doing, and I suspected maybe he'd studied up on whatever equivalent of zoology that they had on Asgard. He was highly intelligent, and his heightened senses were excellently suited for this work. I could tell he just liked being alone and being able to discover things firsthand. He sure as hell wasn't a people person, but since I was rather quiet when he wasn't needling me, he didn't mind my company usually. It was just the last couple days that I'd seen his behavior shift, and I still didn't know the cause yet.

The night bayers earned their namesake. For a period of about half an hour, we listened to them howl to each other, and to other animals in the area. It was eerie, and yet oddly soothing.

At least to me, it was.

Loki tensed up again. He began pacing back and forth on the platform, as if he had too much energy. The wind rustled the frozen leaves and branches around us, nudging his long, dark hair away from his face, and I could see something strange in his eyes as he listened to the howling. I couldn't put my finger on it, where I'd seen his troubled expression, but I knew it. But I also knew better than to try and pry right now while we were working, so I let him be until the night bayers all retreated to their den a few hours before sunrise. We packed up and returned to the base.

We were walking down the hallway back from the hangar when I noticed a twig caught on the thick, curling hair near Loki's nape. Absently, I reached up and plucked it off, thinking he wouldn't really feel it.

I was wrong.

Loki hissed and spun, grabbing my wrist and shoving me up against the wall in the corridor. I gasped out before I could stop myself and kept still, eyes wide as I stared up at him. He was suddenly panting and he had that same look from yesterday when he had me up against the counter, pupils dilated, his facial features drawn with something I couldn't quite place. He'd pinned my arm holding the twig, the other around my throat, but he didn't squeeze. I realized it may have been instinctual, but even then, why? I wasn't a threat to him. It would take the most powerful gun in my entire arsenal to even leave a scratch on an Asgardian. Something was definitely up.

"What are you doing?" he rasped.

 _"Me?"_ I sputtered. "What are _you_ doing? Jesus, Loki, look."

I waggled my hand and he glanced aside to see the twig I'd pulled out of his hair. He made a low noise of irritation, and it vibrated up through my chest. He'd wedged his knee between my legs to keep my body up against the wall, a common but effective technique, and that was when I noticed a completely different point of pressure.

Against my hip.

Loki was _aroused._

I almost gaped at him in shock.

He didn't pull away, so I licked my lips and said his name quietly in question.

"What?" he asked in return.

"Why are you still holding onto me?"

"I did threaten to strangle you," he pointed out.

"Loki," I repeated, narrowing my eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"Why do you think there is anything wrong with me, mortal woman?"

"You've been acting strangely ever since we first sighted the night bayers," I pointed out. "What's up with you and the howling thing?"

His head reared back slightly, as if surprised I'd noticed. "You're tense. Agitated. Is there something that you need to tell me?"

Loki scowled. "Why would that be any of your business?"

"Because we're alone in here and I need to know if I'm in any imminent danger."

He lifted an eyebrow. "I have already threatened you more than once. Of course you are."

"Any real imminent danger," I clarified. "I know the difference between your idle threats and your real ones, thank you very much. This is something else."

"You do not know me well enough to make that assumption."

I lifted an eyebrow. Then I rocked my hips forward. Loki hissed. "You've got an erection right now, for God's sake. Pretty sure that counts as something unusual."

He let me go finally, and I almost breathed a sigh of relief. My head swam with too many thoughts about how exciting it had been being crowded in like that, and I didn't even want to try and ask myself why that was the case. "So what's wrong?"

The demigod's hands opened and closed reflexively as he stared at me with that hooded look, as if contemplating if he would simply dismiss me or not. I folded my arms and leaned back against the wall, trying to appear non-threatening. "Come on, Loki. For all you know, maybe I can help."

He let out a rough, dry chuckle. "I suspect that would not be a very good idea considering the nature of my current...predicament."

"Which is?"

Loki sighed and pushed his hair out of his face. "You are no doubt aware of my heritage, yes?"

I nodded. He continued. "The night bayers are from Jotunheim. Any living creature from there has a unique bond between the planet and each other on a cellular level. For example, I can innately sense them, and they can innately sense me. It does not matter that I am a sentient being and they are not; it's just how Jotunheim works."

Loki licked his lips and his eyes wandered to my throat where his hand had just been. "As a result, our biology is able to affect one another now that we are within the same vicinity."

I cocked my head slightly. "So they're influencing you?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Loki gave me an irritated look. "Truly you cannot be this dense, woman. Do I have to spell it out for you?"

My mouth shot open to insult him, but then it struck me. The words slipped out before I could stop them. "They're in mating season. So you..."

I did gape that time. "You...oh. Oh, _wow_. Shit."

"Yes," Loki said tiredly. "Shit indeed."

A blush consumed my cheeks. "So you...uh...when they howl like that, it gets you riled up?"

He nodded once, stiffly. I ran my hand down my face and then plunged it into my hair, thinking. "How riled up, exactly?"

"Enough," he said simply, and I understood him. I blew out a breath. "Do we need to cut the assignment short?"

"I can control myself until we leave this place. There are only a few days remaining."

"Yeah, but I don't want you to be in constant discomfort. I can take you back and return by myself or with another team."

"It's not just the proximity," he explained. "Think of it as an activation code. Once entered, it has to run its course. I would be no different if I returned than I am now."

"Ain't that a bitch," I muttered. "Do you have anyone who can..."

I blushed further, but forced the words out anyway. "...help you out?"

Loki snorted softly. "Not readily available, no. I have admirers on Midgard, but were I to choose one of them, it would risk her safety. I become rather... _feral_ at such times."

I thought about how he'd dragged me away from the forest last night. He'd held it together well enough, but he'd also disappeared right after we got back to the base. He may have holed up in his room to try to relieve the tension. After all, while I wasn't much to look at, I was still a woman.

A little voice in the back of my head whispered the solution, and my stupid mouth blurted it out before I could consider just how idiotic it sounded.

"I could do it."

I cringed and slammed my eyes shut. _Oh, you stupid idiot. Why did you just do that?_

"Pardon me?" Loki drawled.

I buried my burning face in one hand. Well, cat's out of the bag. Just 'fess up. "I could...you know...help. If that's something you're open to try."

"Help," he repeated slowly. "And just how do you intend to help me, mortal?"

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, I'm not a virgin and I know how sex works and I'm single. Even if you're only physically into me because of some crazy alien pheromones you can't control, at least it's a solution. I've always been the practical type. It's a better solution for me to volunteer than to let you walk around fit to burst for a week. I may not like you, but I'm not a monster. Anyway, you can't help it. Like you said, it's biological. I can't fault you for it, and if I can help, then I will."

I jumped as Loki's cool fingers encircled my wrist and he lowered my arm, staring intently down into my eyes with a look that made me shiver for a lot of reasons, none of them as pragmatic as I was trying to sound. "And why would you willingly offer yourself to me? You have little regard for me and you have no idea what I am capable of. Why throw yourself to the wolf? Are you not afraid of being eaten?"

I stepped up close to him. "I'm not prey, Loki. If you think I am, you're about to be proven very, very wrong."

Loki inhaled sharply. "Careful, pet. My control has limits."

I spared him a coy little smile. "And maybe that's your whole problem."

There was no warning.

Loki swept me off my feet entirely and slammed me back into the wall again, lifting me up to reach his mouth. He'd lunged like the predator that had caused his current affliction, swift, powerful, dangerous, and yet beautiful. He wrapped my thighs around his middle and kissed me hard, growling as his lips finally made contact with mine. I moaned before I could stop myself, right into his mouth, tasting him for the first time. His lips were soft and he tasted slightly bitter but good all the same, and he devoured me as he ground his hard cock through the trousers in between my legs. He sucked on my tongue, his teeth grazing my lower lip, squeezing my ass through the SHIELD jumpsuit. Pleasure shot down through my legs and zinged back up from my heated core. It had been a long time for me, way too long. I pressed into him just as much, clutching his shoulders to try and hold on through the delicious assault of his lips. He slipped his fingers into my hair and then drew my head back, opening his eyes finally.

"Listen to me very carefully, pet," Loki whispered. "If you agree to this arrangement, you will be mine. My toy. My plaything. I will use you again and again until I have had my fill. Rest assured that I will make it worth your while, but you will be at my mercy, and you will find that it is in short supply. Are you certain you wish to continue?"

I laughed a little. "A handsome demigod wants to fuck my brains out for a week. Gee, what is a girl to do?"

Loki kissed me again, his voice full of dark promise. "Let us find out."


	3. Day Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You scratch his back, and he'll scratch yours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slightly confusing, I know, but yes, it is day three, since they arrived at night the first time and they study from night time on through midnight. Last chapter was day two going onto day three, for example. I'll try and get the chapters more synced up with the next batch, sorry. It's kind of weird. Plus, some will overlap.

My back hit the wall a second time, but this time it was in Loki’s room.

I didn’t remember the trip here, mostly because the Norse god saw fit to kiss the living daylights out of me the whole time, unwilling to let me go long enough to let me walk to his room. Once the door shut, all bets were off. I knew from the way he kissed me—savagely, as if he couldn’t get enough and wanted to crawl into me to possess me completely—there’d be no restraint tonight, nothing even resembling romantic, just two people attacking each other with a singular goal in mind. I had both arms around his neck to try to stay steady, one plunged into his surprisingly soft hair, the other clawing at the space between his shoulder blades. I groaned as he ground his pelvis into mine, and my skin dampened with sweat beneath the jumpsuit, which was in no way designed for sexual shenanigans.

“I could go change,” I muttered absently around his lips. “I know this thing isn’t exactly attractive.”

“Nonsense,” Loki said, lifting me with his arm under my ass, freeing his other hand to grip the zipper at my throat. “I’ve been wanting to peel this garment off of you and see the lovely things hiding beneath it.”

 _Viiiip!_ My heart fluttered and my stomach twisted as the teeth to the zipper parted, and Loki dragged it down past my navel, exposing skin from my throat to the top of my hips. I’d been lucky enough to have just a decent pair of black panties and a matching bra beneath it, but nothing fancy. It wasn’t like I’d gone on this trip expecting to get laid, after all.

Loki’s gaze rolled down my neck to the peek of cleavage exposed and another growl reverberated through his chest and tickled along my front. His breathing deepened and quickened as he flattened his hand against my stomach, the first bare contact I’d had with him other than kissing. His fingers were cool and slightly calloused as he stroked my belly and then slid his hand higher. He mapped my smooth skin up to my collarbone, his glittering eyes tracing the sight as if memorizing it. I lifted my hands and shrugged out of the top half, and I was rewarded with another groan of pleasure from my captor.

He gripped a handful of my hair and yanked my head back, exposing my throat. He bit me, hard, over my pulse, and I shrieked, partially in pain, partially in arousal. Loki hummed upon hearing it and then licked the bite to soothe it, sliding his hot tongue down over the column of my throat and around to the other side. He sucked mercilessly until I felt a second hickey form, and my fingers almost went numb from how tightly I clutched the back of his shoulders. He dripped kisses down my center and hefted me higher in his hands to reach my breasts. I unhooked my arms to slip out of the bra, but he hissed “Not yet” in dissent. He let his teeth scrape over my curves, alternating licking and sucking my bare skin until it was flushed from the attention, and I was trembling with need.

He kissed his way back up to my lips and then peered into my face, his voice sounding as if it had gone through a cheese grater, it was so rough. “Do you fear me, girl?”

I licked my lips and decided to just be honest. “I’d be stupid not to.”

Loki chuckled softly. “That is true enough.”

He settled his hands on my waist just above the crumpled material of my jumpsuit. “We have arrived at the point of no return. You will not have another chance to turn back until I am done with you. Do you still wish to proceed, little mortal?”

Well, look at that. The nefarious God of Mischief clearly understood consent. I’ll be damned. And hell, hearing him say it aloud just turned me on even further, so I couldn’t get any words out; I just nodded instead.

I had just enough time to see the anticipation darken his handsome features before he lowered me to the floor and knelt. He jerked the jumpsuit down to my ankles and I kicked off my boots. It left me in just the bra and panties, and Loki vigorously approved based on the noise he made once he had my clothes off.

He latched onto my thighs and shoved them apart, and before I could do anything, buried his face between them. I cried out as his hot mouth molded against the thin cotton and his tongue brushed up and over the already damp spot hiding the rest of me. Loki groaned in reaction, and drew his tongue against my outer petals, then pressed into where my opening lay, sucking. My hands plunged into his hair and squeezed as pleasure shot up from between my legs in a scorching spike of sensation. God, the friction, the fucking friction felt so damn good I wobbled on my feet.

He raked my panties off and snatched my legs up in his powerful grip, tossing them over a shoulder each so that I was half-propped to the wall, held by his upper body, his head positioned directly between my thighs. His fingers claimed my bare ass and then he dove in again.

I screamed his name.

He licked a stripe over my wet heat and then sunk his tongue inside me without preamble. Electric shocks sparked in all my nerves and the unbearable tightness at my center throbbed from the much-needed stimulation. I squirmed helplessly as a wave of searing pleasure dragged me under as he licked and sucked in surging patterns, the obscene wet noises of him devouring my pussy only making me hotter and more crazed for him.

He shifted me enough to widen my thighs on his shoulders and zeroed in on my clit. I let out a litany of four-letter words as the pressure in my lower belly billowed beyond my control. I came on his tongue quickly and without warning, shuddering from head to toe and collapsing against the wall as he sucked the strength right out of me. Loki rocked my hips against his mouth as he brought me down from my high, his tongue lapping lightly against me until he’d had his fill.

Rather than trust my jelly legs, he picked me up as he rose from the floor to his feet. He encircled my legs around his hips again and held onto my thighs as he molded me to the wall again.

“Contraceptives,” he managed through harsh pants as he kissed my neck. “You are on them, yes?”

“Uh-huh,” I slurred, still woozy and pleasantly lethargic from my orgasm. “I’m on the pill.”

My brain cleared enough to remember he was a god and I added, “Means I can’t get pregnant.”

“Good,” he grunted, and then made a quick gesture with his trousers, shoving them down his thighs. I moaned as I felt the searing, silken skin of his cock up against my pelvis, and he moaned right back as he rubbed the shaft along my opening. I hadn’t exactly given it too much thought, but I’d had a hunch the God of Mischief would be hung based on his towering stature. I’d never had a lover with this kind of girth, but I was eager to give it a shot anyway.

He climbed back up to my face, licking my lower lip just as he angled himself inside me for the first time.

And the night bayers weren’t the only things howling tonight.

I couldn’t properly identify the noise I made—somewhere between a cry, a moan, and a howl—as Loki’s cock filled me. Ecstasy simmered up my body, flushing it even further with heat, goosebumps spilling across my sweaty skin in the wake of the pleasure. The fact that he hadn’t disrobed only made it worse, as the soft fabric of his robes brushed against my stomach, my arms, everywhere. I wanted naked skin on naked skin, and yet the denial of such just made me even wetter.

And that was all _before_ Loki’s reaction.

Loki’s lips, still mated to mine, parted wide enough to spill out a sound the exact middle between a purr and a moan. The vibrations from it crawled across my upper torso and straight down against my spot. My already slick inner walls sent a rush of sopping heat down over his cock as he buried it into me as deeply as he could, as if he were convinced he could combine us into just one single being. It awakened something completely primal inside me. I didn’t give a damn about anything other than him. I wanted him. I wanted to please him. I wanted him to please me. I didn’t care what it cost or what it would do to me. I needed it more than air.

Then he shifted me in his grip and fucked me like a wild animal.

It couldn’t have lasted more than maybe five or six minutes.

And it was the best five or six minutes I’d ever spent on this earth.

My shoulders and upper back scraped against the wall each time he pounded into me at breakneck speed, each thrust delving him into me completely. His considerable size meant that every stroke dragged against my inner walls in the most delicious of ways, scraping against my hidden spot, hitting every nook and cranny on his way in, making my body cling desperately each time he left it. His roughness only increased how tight I’d gotten, and I found myself widening my legs around his waist, wanting more and more with each thrust. I’d bruise from this for sure, and yet I craved him like mad.

I clung to his shoulders and just held on through the maelstrom to my best ability. He drove whimpers and sobs and inarticulate groans from me over and over. I was powerless to stop them, and maybe I didn’t really want to anyway. He swallowed every sound like they sustained him, answering them with short, rough groans of his own. I shivered at the knowledge that I pleased him just as much, that he loved fucking me, that I could satisfy him. A thrill threaded up my spine at the very thought of it.

Loki sped up, squeezing my thighs in his hands, his moans echoing on every other breath as he climbed towards his release. He kissed me harder and swiveled his hips to enter me at an angle, and I cried out as my walls clamped down over his cock. I dug my hands into his shoulders as I tried to weather the storm, turning my head so he couldn’t seal the deal by kissing me, but he wasn’t having any of it. He wrapped those long fingers around my throat and angled my face towards him, his voice dark as black silk in my ears.

“Look at me.”

Against my better judgment, I opened my eyes. I saw him, flushed and frustrated and teetering on the edge of bliss, those eyes of his glowing with possession and lust as he stared down at me.

“Come,” Loki ordered. “Come on my cock, mortal. Do as your god commands.”

My inner thighs twitched in warning of an impending orgasm. Oh no. Not that. Anything but that. I loved it, being told what to do, deep down somewhere in my submissive little animal brain. But I didn’t want him to figure that out or my goose was cooked.

“Y-You’re not my god,” I protested, trying to level a glare at him, but it was hard since I was on cloud nine already and climbing higher with every second of his sex.

Loki gave me a low, filthy chuckle that made my pussy clamp onto him even harder. “That is exactly what I am. And you are mine tonight, sweet pet.”

He kissed me and then nuzzled my ear, whispering right into it as he rolled his hips. “Come for your god, my little mate.”

I exploded around him.

The pleasure at my center boiled over. It spread thick and hot through my veins like golden honey and saturated me from head to toe. I couldn’t begin to fathom how or why that nickname drove me off the deep end, but it did. I writhed and writhed and _writhed_ around his cock, screaming his name desperately as pure nirvana doused my entire body.

Loki growled one final time and bit the spot beneath my ear as he came inside me. He squeezed my throat once, and then lowered his hand to my ass to hold me in place as he pumped his come into me. The splash of searing heat sent me into a new set of convulsions. A perverse sense of accomplishment flooded through me as I slumped back against the wall in blissful exhaustion. Loki’s strokes eventually slowed and then ceased, and he breathed fire across my neck and shoulders as he recovered. We stayed pressed together for a time, panting in sync, and then he carried me over to the bed.

As soon as my sore back hit the mattress, so did the exhaustion. I untangled my legs from around him and he pulled out before collapsing beside me. We lay there in stunned silence for a few minutes, and then I rolled onto my side, preparing to get up.

Loki’s arms encircled me and dragged me back against him. I blinked rapidly, confused. “Loki?”

“Stay,” he muttered, and then buried his face in my hair. “You are tired, and I will have need of your services again when we wake.”

Surprise bloomed through me. Didn’t think I’d be literally sharing a bed with him. Interesting new development. I chewed my lower lip. “I’m going to mess up your sheets.”

“I look forward to it,” he teased, but then I saw a slight glimmer of gold. The sticky mess between my legs vanished and I also felt his clothing disappear, leaving him bare chested and in some kind of silk pajama bottoms. He dragged the covers up over us and conked out almost immediately. I couldn’t fathom how he felt this comfortable with me in such a short amount of time. I lay perfectly still, worried about disturbing him and setting off that hair-trigger temper, and yet the longer I lay with him spooning me, the more I relaxed. His heart beat a steady cadence between my shoulder blades, his breath warm on my ear and neck, his skin pleasant and cozy along mine.

I was out before I had time to think about the fact that the God of Mischief liked to cuddle.


	4. Day Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Loki set the terms of the arrangement, and enjoy the benefits.

My cell phone’s alarm scared me awake.

The sudden piano notes to the opening of Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” made my head pop up from the pillow like a gopher, and I seized up in panic from not recognizing where I was. I stumbled out of bed towards my jumpsuit and popped open a side pocket on the utility belt, silencing the phone. I scratched my head as my frazzled brain pieced things together from last night.

Oh yeah. I’d fucked the God of Mischief.

“I am a consummate professional,” I muttered to myself, staring forlornly at the discarded SHIELD uniform. Granted, we were all alone. The chances of anyone finding out were minimal, but even then, guilt crowded my brain like fire-ants.

“Yes, you are,” Loki’s sleepy voice said with the utmost sarcasm. “Now get your ass back in the bed. I’m cold, mortal.”

Scowling, I stood up and leveled a glare at him. He lay on his side, facing me, one arm around my abandoned pillow, his lashes low over those sea-green eyes. He yawned and blinked once before arranging his expression into an expectant one.

“Look, it’s not that kind of party,” I told him bluntly. “Just because I let you sleep with me doesn’t mean you get to treat me like shit, and it certainly doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do.”

He smirked at me. “I seem to recall you following orders rather well last night.”

He lowered his voice to that truly evil, seductive tone. “Little mate.”

A shudder rolled right up my naked spine. I was grateful to still be wearing the bra; he couldn’t see that my nipples had hardened instantly as the memory of my most recent orgasm spilled through me like a ghost. Part of me wanted to hop right back in that bed if it meant I’d start the morning off with another one, but I stomped the impulse down.

“It’s one thing if you’re dominant in bed,” I told him, crossing my arms. “If you want to keep our arrangement intact, you need to quit treating me this way.”

Loki pursed his lips. “What way? You are just a Midgardian, you know. I treat every one of your species in this manner.”

“Well, everyone in the species isn’t fucking you, so I’m sorry, your highness. Make an exception.”

He made a low noise of displeasure, but didn’t protest aloud. He propped his chin on the pillow and kept up the steady stare. “What are your demands, pray tell?”

“First off—”

He crooked a finger at me, the smirk returning. “Come along now. I’m listening.”

I wanted to stay put, but I was starting to get cold too, so maybe he had a point. I begrudgingly shuffled back over and climbed into bed with him. He snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close. My heart rate frenzied at the touch of the smooth, pale skin against my belly and legs. He propped his head up on his hand and drew his fingertips down my spine, lifting his eyebrows as if to say “go on.”

I cleared my throat and tried to concentrate. “First off, we still have a job to do. No risky business until we’ve completed our tasks each day. It can be morning or evening, but we need to pick a time or else we’ll be misbehaving constantly.”

“Very well. What else?”

“You don’t have to be nice to me, but you do at least have to stop insulting me every twelve seconds. If you want to go back to being a dickhead when we get back to New York, fine, but while I’m here… _assisting_ you, then you need to treat me with respect.”

“Take all the fun out of life,” he sniffed. “You are very cute when you’re riled up, you know.”

I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t say you couldn’t tease me. I said you couldn’t insult me. There’s a difference. The death threats are a bit much, idle or otherwise.”

“Fine,” he sighed, as if it had taken a great effort to agree not to tell me he wanted me dead over and over again. What an ass.

“Lastly, I doubt you’d go around telling anyone, but this is still my job and I could lose it if they found out we slept together. I just want to be sure we’re on the same page about being discreet.”

“I may be the God of Mischief, but I am not that cruel,” he told me. “Rest assured. I will keep your secret.”

I peered at him. “What? No comments about not wanting anyone know that you slept with a common Midgardian?”

“You are many things, pet, but you are certainly not common.”

“I’m waiting for the punchline.”

“No punchline,” he said. “I can be sincere on occasion, you know.”

“Just not very often.”

He bared his teeth in a grin. “I was quite sincere with you last night. I greatly enjoyed devouring you.”

I blushed then. “You make me sound like a filet mignon.”

“And that is?”

Oh, duh, alien. I almost smacked myself in the forehead. “It’s the finest cut of beef there is. It’s extremely tender, and usually expensive.”

“Mm, I see.” He buried his face in my neck and kissed over the hickey he’d left on the right side. “Well, you are a meal fit for a king.”

His hand wandered down and tickled over my ass. I bit my lip to trap a gasp from escaping. He drew tiny circles over the hickey with the tip of his tongue, and then breathed out in a sigh. “Relax. You have no need to be tense.”

He brought both hands up underneath my back and the bra popped loose, startling me. I’d have thought he would need help, but clearly Loki had been a busy boy at some point on Earth. He flicked it over the side of the bed and leaned back enough to admire me. “Lovely.”

Again, I stifled a moan as he latched onto my right breast, licking and sucking. Heat dripped down to gather between my thighs. I looped my arms around him loosely, arching into his touch, and let him explore to his heart’s content. He bit down over my nipple and I whined, my nails digging into the top of his shoulders. He hummed and returned to my lips, his kisses messy and growing impatient. He pulled my leg up over his hip and aligned his cock with my sex, rubbing the tip across my outer petals and inching in that first little bit but not all the way.

“Loki,” I slurred, drunk from his kisses, his touch, unsure if I meant for him to stop or keep going. My utterance just excited him more, judging by the way his breathing picked up. He wrapped one big hand around my upper thigh and then angled himself into me all the way. I threw my head back and moaned at the sudden pinch of that first entry, but the pleasure quickly bubbled up through my body seconds later. Lust fogged up any further thoughts. I was his once again.

“Yes, pet,” he whispered against my throat, biting gently at first. “Take it. Take it all.”

"You ass," I groaned, but the moan mixed in didn't help my point. "I'm barely even...mm...wet yet. You're gonna make me sore."

"Is that right?" He kissed his way up towards my ear, his thrusts soft and shallow in order to accommodate my complaint. "Tell me, my sweet mortal. Tell me how I can make you wet."

I blushed furiously at his audacity. "Like you don't already know."

"Hardly," he insisted in that same patiently amused voice. "I've only had you for a night. How am I to know where you like to be kissed, where you like to be touched, unless you tell me?"

"Loki--"

He rolled me onto my back and pushed up on his hands, his eyes gleaming as he pushed my legs further apart with his knees. A certain playfulness entered his expression as he slipped a hand between us, running the flat of his thumb over my clit. I moaned into his mouth, bucking up against the much-needed pressure, drawing my nails down his chest in retaliation.

"Here?" he murmured, feigning ignorance. "Do you like it if I touch you here, pet?"

"God, you're such an asshole," I mumbled, high as hell on the rhythmic stroke of his thumb against that tingling spot, coupled with his slow pace. He was driving me crazy with his teasing. I couldn't think straight. My body yearned and screamed and begged for more.

"I'm only trying to please you," Loki drawled, switching to a sinister circling motion around the sensitive nub sending jolts of pure pleasure racing through me. "Are my efforts not appreciated?"

In spite of his irritating taunts, I'd gotten so much wetter in barely a minute or two of his touch, evident by the obscene squelch I heard on every thrust, and the lack of resistance each time his cock burrowed into me. I fell back against the mattress, pliant and willing to sacrifice myself to the god above me just so I could keep feeling this goddamn good. Oh, he felt so good inside me. Like paradise.

"You must tell me if I am pleasing you," Loki insisted, pressing light, nibbling kisses just under my jaw on the right side. "Or I'll stop."

"Don't stop," I blurted out before I could help it, clamping my thighs against his hips in protest.

Loki purred in satisfaction. "Say please."

"Fuck you."

"I am fucking you," he tutted. "Now say please, mortal woman."

I did manage a glare this time. "You need this more than I do, remember?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Is that right? I would wager from your reactions that it has been quite a while since you've enjoyed such carnal delights. I'd say you need this just as badly."

"Not enough to beg for it."

"Prideful, are we?"

"Like you're one to talk."

Loki pursed his lips. "I see I will have to keep that sharp tongue of yours busy."

He kissed me before I could retort, and the last bits of my resistance melted away. He reached back and wrapped my legs around him completely before he sunk atop my helpless frame. His weight pressing me down into the bed was exquisite. My stupid animal brain loved it, being trapped by this insatiable, ferocious predator as he took his fill of me. He sped up his rhythm now that he had me totally within his clutches, and my head spun dizzily as the pleasure dragged me under within seconds. I moaned into his mouth on every other breath, raking my nails across his shoulder blades.

After one particularly hard thrust, I cried out and dug my nails in deeper. Loki released a sultry growl into my mouth and whispered, “Harder.”

“What?” I mumbled, opening my eyes enough to see him staring at me with intense focus.

“Harder,” he whispered again, nipping my lower lip in emphasis. I realized what he meant and a fresh rush of heat swarmed my cheeks.

“Are you…sure?” I asked meekly.

“Yes, pet. Do it harder.”

I bit my lip for a second and raked my nails over his ribs, scraping his pale skin. Loki shivered in delight and sighed wistfully. My nails left no marks, which was expected since I was just a human woman and he was a nearly invincible demigod, but apparently he could still feel the pain, and it excited him. He hunted for my neck and latched onto the hickey he’d already left there, slipping a hand into my hair to draw my head back. “More.”

I lifted my hands higher up his back and scratched him again. Loki moaned and deepened his thrusts in return, and I soon joined him in moaning with arousal. My inner walls tightened in warning, fluttering over his cock as he fucked me into the bed, the added pressure of his pelvis against my clit making me squirm to try to escape.

And apparently, that was just as arousing to him.

“Trying to resist, are we?” he asked, lifting above me with a teasing look.

“N-No,” I lied, even as I tried to scoot my bottom into a different angle so he couldn’t keep striking my spot with every thrust.

Loki clucked his tongue. “Silly pet. It’ll only make me try harder.”

He pushed onto his palms over me and adjusted until the motion made my ass lift off the mattress, as my legs were still secured around his waist. He switched to short, hard strokes into my nearly liquid, hot center and I screamed his name, half in protest, half in praise. My pussy clenched him desperately as I flew towards my climax and I clawed at his chest before I could stop myself.

“Ah! Loki, please, please!”

“Mm, I thought you didn’t beg, darling,” the God of Mischief drawled, a laugh under his breath. “And yet it sounds as if you are begging for your release.”

I glared up at him, teeth clenched. “I wouldn’t have to beg if you knew what you were doing.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at me then. “As if you are at all difficult to please. I’ve had you in the palm of my hand from the very start.”

“Please,” I spat. “I barely touched your neck and you got a boner, for God’s sake. You’re the one hard up for it.”

"Such acidic words from the woman I had screaming my name after only minutes of sex last night."

"Such arrogant words from someone who blew his load in only minutes of sex last night."

Loki glared then. "I assure you, mortal woman, that the God of Mischief is no minute man."

I smirked at him. "If you say so."

"So be it." He caught both of my wrists and held them down on either side of my shoulders.

"Loki, what the hell--"

"Since you doubt my ability to last," he said, the smirk returning. "I will show you otherwise."

He withdrew.

And then returned to me with maddening, soul-rending slowness.

I thought the rough sex had driven me to the brink of sanity, but this...oh no. I'd done it now.

"L-Loki," I tried to protest, but the wave of ecstasy that hit me as his cock butted up against the end of my canal on that first thrust drove the air out of my lungs. Fucking hell. The pleasure twisted up my spine and then simmered out into my limbs. My head rolled back on the bed and my mouth fell open uselessly, no sound escaping. It just felt so fucking _good_.

Loki let out a low, sultry chuckle as he allowed that heavy, lithe frame to rest on top of me, and then he proceeded to fuck me very, very slowly and very, very deeply. His chest and abs held me down to the bed and rubbed along my breasts and tummy, heightening the sensations rushing through my veins. In seconds, I was higher than I'd been earlier, my pussy clutching his cock on entry and withdrawal as if every precious second of contact sustained me. Tiny, mewling gasps escaped what little air I could get into my lungs.

I lost time. Loki took me that way for God-only-knows how long, his lips on my throat, licking and biting and sucking where he saw fit as he rode me. All I knew was that if he didn't let me come soon, I'd drop dead on the bed. I just knew it in my soul that I'd die if he didn't make me come.

"P-Point," I gasped out finally.

"Mm?" the demigod shitlord hummed, pushing up enough to look down at me. "What was that, pet?"

"Y-You've made your p-point," I stammered, trembling so hard I could barely keep my legs around his waist any longer.

"Have I?" he lilted, licking the edge of my lips. "I thought perhaps another half hour would provide the evidence necessary to convince you."

Another? Jesus Christ, he'd fucked me for _half an hour?!_ "N-No, I believe you."

"But you are a woman of science," Loki insisted. "I must be..."

He swiveled his hips, and I yelped weakly as the pleasure shot straight up to my clit. "... _thorough._ "

"Not necessary. I'm convinced." I bit my lip as I tried to stifle another moan. "And we...have to leave for fieldwork soon so maybe we should wrap this up."

A mischievous look entered his eyes. "Why, pet, are you trying to say that you would like to come now?"

I blushed. "...not in those exact words."

He chuckled. "I am afraid I will need to hear them if I am to properly acquiesce your request."

"Bastard."

"Literally and figuratively," he confirmed. "Now be a good girl and ask nicely."

"Fuck off."

He grinned wickedly. "Which is what you will have to do later if you do not play along, little mortal."

Son of a bitch. I truly hated him. I weighed my options. After all, he was right. I could refuse and retreat to my own quarters to, ah, finish the job, so to speak. Or hell, I could be rude and do it on his bed just to show him that I could and he wasn't about to best me.

But truth be told...

Damn, that had been a really good orgasm last night.

And I _really_ wanted another one from him.

Loki watched my conflicted expressions and sunk down towards my ear, his velvet voice caressing it almost lovingly. "Come now, sweetling. You know you want it. You know you want to feel me come inside you again, just as you surrender to me. You remember how it feels, don't you? So sweet it's almost a crime. Mm, you're so wet right now around me. Feel that? How you clenched just now as you thought about how amazing it felt to come for your god? It'll be even better this time. Think of it, my pet. Think of how much you long to feel that pleasure again. To lose your ever burdensome control and indulge in wicked things. And all you need to do is let go of your pride."

He rose over me and kissed me, whispering, "I'll even make it easier on you. Admit that you need this just as much as I do and I will give you what you desire and more."

Bastard. Arrogant, presumptuous, egotistical, lousy bastard.

Who just happened to be exceptional at sex.

To hell with it.

"Fine," I said hoarsely. "I need this just as much as you do, Loki."

Loki smiled victoriously. "Good girl."

He let go of my wrists and planted his hands to either side of my head, widening his knees to give him more leverage. He drove into me, one hard, quick, devastating thrust, his eyes locked on my face as I cried out. I couldn't help but grip his forearms just to bear down as my pussy contracted in warning of the impending orgasm.

"You've been such a good girl for me," Loki cooed, lowering his lashes over his hellfire eyes as our hips collided on the bed, pushing us both closer and closer to the edge. "Shall I tell you a secret?"

I fought to find enough strength to speak as he fucked me, digging my nails into his impenetrable skin as the shadow of my climax loomed over me. "W-What?"

He kissed me, and then whispered against my lips. "You...are the best fuck I've had in ages, my sweet."

I cried out then. "Loki!"

"Yes," he moaned as he felt me convulse around his cock. "Come for me, my little mate."

I shattered.

Sheer nirvana seized me from head to toe, seeping down into my skin and saturating my muscles and nerves and sinking into my bones. I came harder than I even had last night, and that was saying something. Loki groaned, biting my lower lip indulgently as he felt me go, and then pounded into me viciously until he reached his release as well. I bit him right back, elated as his come filled me again and again until it spilled out and coated my inner thighs. He kept thrusting, those low moans buzzing down my breasts and over my belly, a pleasant tickle that almost made me laugh. Loki shuddered once he'd finished and collapsed to his forearms to keep from completely crushing me. His sweaty forehead dropped onto mine and we both lay there in a tangled mess, gasping for air.

I regained my strength sometime later and let my eyes drift open to look at him for just a moment in the peace and quiet. Despite being such an asshole, boy, was he something else. The flush in his cheeks looked good on him, so different from his usual paleness. He didn't seem so cold and unreachable, not this way, not after allowing himself to feel something for once. And I truly did like those lovely cheekbones of his.

Before I caught myself, I tilted up enough to kiss one. Loki's eyes drifted open and I held still, unsure of what he would do in response. He studied me and then gave me a little smile as if to say he didn't mind. It surprised me, and pleasantly so. He seemed in no hurry to pull away, staring down at the woman he had caged between his powerful arms, the difference in our strengths and stations comical if one thought about it for too long.

I licked my lips, my voice hoarse. "We should get going. I have to check in."

"Mm," he grunted, as if displeased. "Indeed."

He didn't let me go right away, though. First, he slipped one hand under my back, and I felt sudden intense warmth. "What--"

"The bruises," he said simply, and then skated that same hand down against my hip. "I told you I would not be gentle, and you are mortal, after all."

The same heat enveloped my pelvis, and the soreness I hadn't even realized was there yet disappeared. I stifled a pleased noise as his hand slid down enough to cup my ass. "Is there a bruise there?"

Loki gave me a shit-eating grin then. "No."

I choked on a laugh and pushed on his shoulders. "Hey, no groping during business hours, mister. Up."

He chuckled and kissed me a final time before he pulled out and released me at last. "As you wish."

"Could you, uh--"

He flicked his hand again and the utter mess between my legs vanished. "Thank you."

I climbed out of his bed and redressed. I was very aware of his gaze as I did so, and tried not to blush as I realized he didn't care if he'd just fucked me six ways to Sunday--he still wanted more. I'd...never quite had that kind of effect on a man before. I decided to believe it was just the pheromones.

Safer that way.

I combed as many post-fuck tangles out of my hair as I could and zipped up my jumpsuit before facing him. He languished in bed, staring at me like the cat that got the canary. I cleared my throat. "I'll meet you in the jet in an hour."

Loki gave me a lazy smile. "Don't miss me too much until then, pet."

I rolled my eyes. "Same old Loki."

He winked at me. "Always."

I returned to my room, showered, and dressed for the cold again. Loki met me at the jet and we left to map out the extent of the night bayers' territory. And I was pleasantly surprised to find out Loki treated me no differently than he had before our arrangement. He didn't make lewd comments. He didn't leer. He was no nicer and no meaner than his usual self, which implied that either he'd slept with a coworker before or deep down inside the mineshaft he called a heart, he had a modicum of manners. I was pretty sure there was nothing I could do short of saving the planet that would make him respect me, but I appreciated that he could do what a lot of men couldn't do--separate business from personal.

We spent several hours logging away samples and taking photos, and then returned for the afternoon to wait for nightfall. From sunset to midnight, we tracked the night bayers and learned their characteristics and interactions. They seemed social creatures, and showed signs of actually having personalities the same way that canines and felines--both wild and domesticated--did as well.

When we returned to the compound after midnight, I could feel my heart pounding in anticipation of what might happen once we hit the hangar. Loki, of course, as supreme royal jackass, remained cool as a cucumber, his expression unreadable. We walked down the hallway--you know, the same one he'd pinned me against and kissed the living daylights out of me--and made it past the kitchen before he said anything.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

I cleared my throat. "Not particularly. They chose me for this mission because I'm a bit of a night owl. I can pull an overnight shift no problem."

"Very well, then."

Quite suddenly, he bent, caught me around the waist, and threw me over his shoulder.

"Loki!" I blushed furiously as he carried me away like a complete caveman, humming to himself as if it were nothing odd at all. "If you don't put me down--"

He gave my bottom a good smack. "Behave yourself, pet. Learn to have a little fun."

"It's going to be fun when I rip your throat out!"

His laugh bounced off the hallway walls. "I look forward to it, little mortal."


	5. Day Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Loki continue through the week, and you learn a little more about each other in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, fine, I really am just confusing myself with what day it is and I have just accepted my failure as a writer. Continue.

The God of Mischief returned me to the ground once we had reached his quarters, in front of the bed, clearly indicating that he had no intention of engaging me in mere conversation. The second he let me go, I tried to punch him. He caught my fist inches from his solar plexus with that infuriating grin of his, pleased by my show of violence. Because _of course_ the pervert would be amused by it.

“Try that again and you’re dead,” I seethed as I tried to free my hand from his grip.

“You said I could tease you,” he pointed out, tucking my arm behind my back and reaching for the zipper to my jumpsuit. “It was merely to get that delightful response out of you.”

“What response? Irritation?” Even as my anger continued pouring out my mouth, I almost let out a soft moan of anticipation as the cool air hit my chest as the zipper teeth parted down the center of my body.

“Yes,” Loki said, hovering close enough to kiss me but not quite sealing the deal. He gave me a lustful, hooded look, still smirking at my frown. “You are at your best when you are angry, pet.”

“No wonder you spend all your time getting on my nerves. You get off on it, don’t you?”

“Who could blame me?” He stuck his hand inside my suit and stroked my belly with those long fingers, gently, inches from my pelvis. Goosebumps popped up immediately, and little thrills of pleasure dripped down towards my core. “You hide your fierce nature everywhere but here, my little mortal. Your society has insisted that women be tame creatures for the sake of man’s ego. I do not believe as they believe. I want to see that part of you come out to play.”

He kissed me, slipping his tongue past my lips, and cupped my slit with his fingers beneath the suit, prying an eager groan from my throat. He rubbed his palm across my clit as he stroked me wet beneath the panties and then let go enough to peel the suit from my shoulders and upper body. I went after the buttons on his tunic, shivering as my hands made contact with that unusual but desirable cool flesh on his abdomen. He shrugged out of it and bit my throat enthusiastically, driving a whimper from me as pain poked through the pleasure. I’d done a quick check this morning, and he’d marked me up rather ridiculously already. If anyone did a surprise site visit, I’d be immediately fired. I should have found his territorial nature annoying, and yet part of me felt stupidly flattered by it all. He’d staked his claim on me, not for anyone around to see, but just to remind me that in here, in his domain, I belonged to him.

What a terrible and yet arousing thought.

I kicked off my boots and he pushed the suit off my lower body.

And then spun me around.

Oh, my.

Loki shoved against my upper back and I squeaked as I toppled forward, catching myself on my hands with the bed. He kicked my legs further apart and molded his lean, hard chest against my spine, trailing his fingertips teasingly down my thighs as he kissed his way up my neck to my ear. “What is that lovely expression you use here on Midgard? Ridden hard and put up wet?”

I blushed at the imagery that trickled through my mind. “Well, that expression is related to horses, so I’m not surprised you’ve heard it before.”

Loki slapped my ass. Hard. It hurt like a bitch, and yet what came out of my mouth was not “ow” but a rather unrestrained moan of surprise and enjoyment. Shit. What the hell was he doing to me?

“Behave,” he growled. “I do not tolerate such implications.”

I bit my lip to hold in laughter. “Don’t ever Google yourself. You’re really not going to like what our mythology has to say about you and horses.”

He hissed and swatted the other side of my ass. My eyes rolled back. Dear God. I had serious issues.

“Midgardians,” Loki grumbled moodily as he unsnapped my bra. “Your accounts of our adventures as gods are far from accurate and veer into rather disturbing territories.”

I couldn’t help it. “Wait until you find out about furries.”

“What?”

“Don’t Google it,” I warned. “Just trust me on that one.”

“Are you trying to distract me or just irritate me, mortal woman?”

I sucked in a sharp breath as his spindly fingers cupped my bare breasts. “Bit of both, really.”

I flinched as he pinched both nipples, not hard, but enough to get a reaction out of me. “I am sure we can find better things for that mouth of yours to do.”

He sank onto one knee and raked my panties off. It happened so quickly I couldn’t help but glance behind me in alarm, and he flicked me a quick, dirty grin. “Like scream.”

He gripped my ass and held me still as he leaned forward enough to run his tongue over me, enough to catch the nectar already spilling out. I gripped two handfuls of the sheets and shoved my face into the mattress to scream, unready as pleasure shot through my veins in a rush that nearly took me to my knees. Loki chuckled, a filthy sound, and lightly slapped my ass once on both cheeks. “Oh no you don’t. Look at me.”

I shook my head and tried to lean away from him. “Knock it off.”

“I shan’t,” he told me haughtily, and then buried his tongue inside me in one go. I moaned all the air out of my lungs, my legs weak, at the next surge of pleasure that streaked through me, as potent as tequila. He kept me in place with one hand and fucked his tongue into me with cruel, purposeful slowness. He was killing me, minute by minute, unraveling my entire person with his mouth. I wanted so badly to pull away, but it felt better than anything in the world and I just wanted more despite how lewd I must have looked.

Loki finally separated from my pussy with a truly obscene slurp and then swatted my ass again, another sinister chuckle under his breath. I felt his gaze on my naked skin like fire-ants. “You sing so prettily, my little bird.”

“Shut up,” I gasped out, the command partially muffled by the sheets. Loki chuckled harder and slid two fingers into me. I yelped and tried to throw myself onto the bed, but he wrapped a sinewy arm around my waist to hold me still and pumped both digits into me. It didn’t take much, just a few rapid thrusts with those long, slender digits, and I convulsed in place, crying his name out into the bed as I came. He let me collapse against the edge of the bed at long last and I took refuge in it, my knees wobbling in their attempts to keep me on my feet. Nirvana. Utter nirvana. Why was someone so infuriating so fantastic at sex? The universe was cruel.

“Are you alright, darling?” he asked facetiously as he ran his free hand down the length of my spine.

“Piss off,” I mumbled halfheartedly, too high to put much emphasis into it. I was on cloud nine still and it was everything.

Loki clucked his tongue. “Have I displeased you somehow, pet?”

I summoned enough strength to glare at him over my shoulder. “Jerk.”

He batted his lashes at me and then slipped his fingers free enough to suck them clean. Oh, hell. That just wasn’t fair. He licked his lips, satisfied by my wanton expression, and pulled me back against him. By now, he’d undone his trousers and I became rather distracted as he lovingly wedged his hard cock in the curve of my ass.

“How dreadful that I have displeased you, pet,” he said as he gripped my hips. “Allow me to make amends.”

He slipped inside me. A sweet burn bubbled up from between my legs and stole my breath again. Heat drenched my body all over. I could feel light sweat forming from just that one thrust. I’d never taken a cock as big as his from his position, and my inner thighs twitched from the sheer strength of the pleasure that gripped me. I could deny it all I wanted, but the truth was Loki felt so fucking good inside me that I never wanted him to leave. Seven days would not be enough. At the rate we were going, he would make me crave him like an addict.

Loki let out a hungry, aroused groan that tickled across my naked skin. I wished I could bottle that sound. Wow. It was something else. Pride welled up in my chest that I made him feel this way.

“I’ve wanted to fuck you like this since we met,” he purred.

“W-What?” I mumbled as I tried to push through the glorious fog that first thrust had dragged me beneath.

“The first time we met in that lab when you called me in to identify a species,” Loki said as he drew aimless patterns on my upper thighs. “You were looking into a microscope at the time, and you had not yet donned your lab coat. I saw you, your hair bound, bending over like that, and I wanted you there and then.”

I shivered. I’d never have guessed as much. Loki had seemed cold and distant when we first met, as he was with everyone. It hadn’t been until months later that we engaged in actual conversation that was not about some sort of alien creature, and even then, he’d still kept his distance. He could certainly conceal his emotions when he wanted to.

“I wonder how jealous your female coworkers would be to find out what we have been up to,” he continued as he drew himself out of me, and hurried back in again. His cock filled me, and it dragged lovingly against all the right spots. I moaned fitfully into the bed and held on for dear life as he settled into slow, shallow thrusts at first. “To know that you have had me all to yourself. I have seen them staring at me. They think I do not know about their little fantasies, but I do. You were the only one who saw me for who I am. You were the only one who had no false presumptions about me, who treated me honestly, who did not hold my past actions against me. And yet you wonder why I sought you out.”

I bit my lip to stop another moan as he molded himself against my back and brushed my hair away from my ear, his voice pure silk. “Even if I had not been affected by the night bayers, I would still want you, pet. You intrigue me as much with your mind as your body.”

He pressed a kiss just under my shoulder blade. “Now be a good little bird and sing for me again.”

Loki straightened, those big hands grasping my waist again, and rocked me down onto his cock.

“Fuck!” He took me hard, every stroke filling me to the brim with him, withdrawing nearly all the way, ensuring that the pleasure reverberated through every corner of my body. He kept a steady cadence, not too fast, knowing somehow that I wanted to feel everything, not just be fucked to the orgasm instantaneously. Broken words left my lips, some of them pure nonsense, some just moans. I couldn’t think straight. I could just feel him, hear him, fucking me relentlessly.

“Yes,” he sighed, his voice lowering another couple of octaves. “Mm, that’s it, pet. Let it take you. Fall apart for me.”

“L-Loki,” I whimpered, stumbling on the simple syllables of his name from just how goddamn crazed he’d made me. My pussy walls fluttered on his cock in warning. I couldn’t take much more of this pace. I was, after all, only human.

He shuddered and his thrusts quickened, and the pleasure tripled inside me. I cried out again, balling up the sheets helplessly as I clenched around him even tighter. “Yes, pet. Say my name. Say it just like that.”

As much as I hated his egotism, I really liked how he’d reacted to the utterance. I peeked at him over my shoulder, and the view was nothing short of spectacular. He had his head tilted back, eyes closed, light sweat rolling down his pectorals and over his abs, the elegant line of his throat bared, his shoulders rising and falling with the rhythm of our sex. He truly was a god.

I worked up the nerve and said it again. “Loki.”

He licked his lower lip and growled softly as his hands tightened their grip on my hips. “Your voice is like a siren’s song, pet.”

His eyes suddenly opened, as if he’d felt my gaze, and they glinted with an almost mad glee as he caught me looking. “Shall I make you come, darling?”

I hid my face in the sheets again, too bashful and ashamed to admit as much. He laughed quietly as he ran his hands up over my ribs and tickled them enough to make me squirm. “Oh, don’t be shy now. I’ve seen beneath your mask. I know you are just as starving as I am.”

He lowered a hand between my thighs and ran his middle finger over my clit, sweeping down in a stroking motion, and I cried out again as the climax lured me into its arms at long last.

“Loki! Fuck! I’m coming!” I couldn’t help but shove my ass down against him roughly as my body clutched him a final time in the throes of a spectacular orgasm.

“Yes,” Loki hissed in excitement, slapping my ass, his voice rough. “Come. Come for me, come on my cock, right now.”

I sobbed out his name again, whining before I could stop myself. “Come, Loki, God, come inside me, please!”

He gripped my ass in both hands and rammed into me with bruising strength as I flew through my release, a strangled moan in his throat as he let go of the tension that had steadily been building inside him. “Yes, darling. For you. I’ll come just for you, pet.”

Loki toppled forward and slipped one hand beneath my chin, turning my head and kissing me roughly as he finished inside me. Our moans mingled together as his cock emptied into me again and again, making a mess of me as he’d promised so many times before. He shivered and muttered, “Fucking hell” against my lips before letting me go. He scooped me up enough to lie on the bed, his arm beneath my head as a cushion, the two of us entangled in an overheated lump of body parts as we tried to cool off. Eventually, our collective panting died down and the warm lethargy of the afterglow enveloped me.

I rolled my head enough to look at the satisfied demigod. He lifted his brows in question and I grinned shortly before kissing him. “Day five.”

* * *

"Can I ask a dumb question?"

"I am a god. Every question you ask is a dumb question to me, Midgardian."

I narrowed my eyes at Loki and then leaned down and bit his nipple. Hard.

Loki squirmed and began to chuckle at my choice of retaliation, his sea-green eyes opening enough to give me an amused look. "What, woman?"

"What you said earlier, about the first time you met me..." I cleared my throat and drew patterns around the faint teeth marks I'd left on his pale skin. "Was that just dirty talk or did you mean it?"

He let me sweat it out for a bit before answering. "Why so interested?"

I shrugged. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him purse his lips skeptically, but eventually he answered. "Yes, I meant it. While you are not exceptionally beautiful, you do have qualities that I find attractive. You are intelligent, inquisitive, perceptive, witty, and committed. I enjoy watching you work, for you are focused on finding out how creatures on other worlds operate for no reason other than to acquire knowledge. You do not have a selfish reason for your collection of knowledge, unlike Stark or some of the other Midgardians. You are a scientist at heart, one who engages in the work purely for the purpose of discovery. It is a rare trait."

Somewhere in the middle of his small speech, I'd glanced up at him in surprise, and now I couldn't look away. I hadn't expected him to tell me how he saw me so honestly. It left me speechless, staring dumbly at the demigod before me with no idea what to say.

Loki lifted an eyebrow. "Surely your former lovers have told you as much."

"N-No," I mumbled.

"Have you lain with unworthy men, mortal?"

I snorted. "Guess you could say that. Though, to be fair, your highness, mortal men aren't as eloquent as you. Maybe they just didn't know how to tell me."

Loki eyed me and then rolled onto his side, erasing what little space was left between us. "Take this as you will, but you should not spend your hours with men who are not willing to sing your praises if you deem them worthy of your romantic attentions. A man should not be afraid to tell a woman how appealing she is in appearance and personality. You are far from perfect, but you are unique. Any man worth his salt should lavish you with compliments if he is to stay in your company."

"Uh-huh," I said. "Is that why you were insulting me constantly prior to our arrangement?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Even you know the difference between insults and banter. I admit at first I did find you somewhat taxing to be around, but I came to realize you could be quite amusing. And if I were to court you, then I would tell you frequently how charming I found you."

"Good to know." I chewed my lower lip as I thought over more of what had happened earlier. "You mentioned before that you had admirers here on earth. How does that work exactly?"

"It's rather simple. Some are SHIELD agents, some are just normal women. When I feel a particular itch, I make an offer and they either accept or reject it. If the sex is satisfying enough, we continue. If it is not, we part ways."

"Wait, SHIELD agents?"

"None in your department," he clarified, and I relaxed somewhat. "Some of the outer rings of the SHIELD agency, those who would not report me to Stark or my brother for...what do you call it...fraternization."

"Right. It's been a while for you, hasn't it?"

He nodded. "Why is that?"

"I find it...difficult to surrender myself to any positive sensations at times."

I frowned. "Oh. That's unfortunate. Have you figured out why?"

"My past," he said a little softly. "What I have done has left a significant amount of psychological scarring. I am rather defensive. It takes me a great deal of time to feel comfortable with someone, as I always expect them to betray me."

I winced. "Shit, Loki. That's a tough way to live."

"I am the God of Mischief. My path will never be tranquil or peaceful. I do not deserve it."

Something in me crumbled upon hearing that. He was right--he had done truly horrid things, but to think he couldn't be redeemed from them...what a depressing thought.

"You don't believe in redemption?" I asked quietly.

"Not for me," he said just as quietly. "I will never ask for such a thing nor expect it."

I sighed and shut my eyes for a second, unsure of what to say to that. After all, he was over a thousand years old. It wasn't like my experiences could convince him of otherwise. I barely knew anything at all.

I rested my hand on the side of his face and ran my thumb over his cheekbone. He searched my gaze for a while, but didn't move away. His eyes shut and he relaxed against my touch, brushing a kiss into my palm before he nodded off to sleep. I fell asleep not long afterward, cocooned in the warmth of his embrace.

My alarm woke us in the morning, and it took all of my will power not to smash it to bits. I'd been so damned comfortable that I hadn't wanted to climb across Loki to silence the stupid device, nor did I want to leave this cozy bed with the all-powerful God of Lies.

Loki let out a terrifying growl as he dragged me back into his arms and buried his face in my neck. "I refuse to allow you to leave my presence, woman."

I shook with laughter. "They should have named you the God of Lies-in-Bed."

Loki snorted into my hair. "Perhaps. I shall not release you, Midgardian. Stay."

"I have a job to do." I ruffled his dark hair. "So do you."

"There is no one here but us."

"True, but I have assignments to turn in. You're on your own if you play hooky today."

"Hooky?" he repeated curiously.

"Blowing off work to do whatever you want," I explained. "Don't know the origin of the phrase, before you ask."

He sighed in displeasure. "You are too virtuous for your own good, pet."

Loki slid up enough to kiss me. He made an excellent case for me to stay in bed with him. I really did want to lounge around in bed with the prince all day long. Not that he needed to know that. His ego was massive enough already.

"Very well," Loki rumbled, giving me a heart attack with that half-lidded stare of lust. "But come nightfall, you will be mine once again, mortal woman, and I shall not let you go so easily."

I smirked. "Is that a threat?"

He smirked right back. "No. A promise, my little mate."


	6. Day Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day six brings a couple of new surprises for you and Loki.

I spent my daytime hours organizing all the video footage and photos I'd taken into a portfolio to present to the department while Loki analyzed samples in the lab. We left at sunset again to continue observation hours, and this time, we noticed something a little different.

This time, as we entered their territory, the night bayers noticed.

It didn't happen immediately. I had located five out of the six pack members, and noted that our alpha was missing. We were about to track her when Loki's hand closed around my elbow and he leaned into me, his lips near my ear. "Keep still."

"Huh?"

"She's behind us," Loki said calmly.

I froze in place. "Oh."

The wind rustled the trees and the bushes, but after it died down, I could hear snow and ice crunching under heavy paws. I knew that Loki wouldn't let any harm come to me, and yet my heart rate skyrocketed as I could hear the low, panting breaths of the pack leader approaching.

"Turn," Loki instructed. "Nice and slow."

I gradually eased myself around in the direction of the alien creature, and found myself roughly ten feet away from the night bayer leader herself. She stared at us with glowing blue eyes, her expression entirely neutral, her black nose twitching furiously.

"Down," Loki said gently, easing me into a kneel next to him. We were at the predator's eye level now. I tried not to glance at her muzzle, knowing that behind it, she hid rows of wickedly sharp fangs that could tear my throat out in a second. Still, even knowing that, I admired her wooly white fur and wintry eyes. She was a beautiful animal, deadly as she was.

After we were on her level, the alpha snorted and inched forward. She stopped a few inches short of Loki and sniffed his boots, then his knee, then his chest. She licked her muzzle and sneezed, and then inspected me the same way. The alpha shook out her white fur coat and then licked my chin a few times, which made me laugh because it tickled.

"Can I touch her?" I asked Loki.

"She should not mind," he said, and I could tell he was hiding a smile. I pulled off my glove and held my hand out to the alpha, palm flat, fingers together. She licked my palm a few times and then I scratched her ears. The cold bit at my fingers, but her fur was extremely thick and warm, like a wolf's pelt. I felt myself giggling childishly as the great big animal let out a pleased whine similar to a dog and then offered her head to Loki as well. He chuckled and scratched between her eyebrows until she'd been satisfied.

The alpha leaned her head back and howled. Her pack answered the howl. She headed back into the forest to catch up to them, and I couldn't stop smiling to save my life as I watched her vanish into the moonlit darkness. This was it. This was why I did what I did for a living. What an experience.

We returned to the compound after midnight and I asked Loki if he minded if I took a quick shower before we began our nightly ritual. He didn't mind. It also gave me the chance to not be in my stuffy little uniform for once, and while I still didn't have any kind of night gown, at least I'd be in cute boy shorts and a tank top this time when we met up.

Loki elected to follow me to my room this time, which I didn't mind, since it was clean anyway. He had just pulled off his boots when I came out of the bathroom, and the appreciative look he gave me as I entered the bedroom fluffed my feathers quite a bit. He didn't stand, instead tugging me to stand between his long legs and kissing me.

"Is this how you normally look before bed?" he asked, working his hands underneath the hem of the tank top.

"Mm-hmm."

"I like it. Plain, but appealing."

"Thanks." I weighed my options and decided to go for it. "Do you mind if we try something tonight?"

His eyes opened then, and he gave me a contemplative stare before answering. "Such as?"

I climbed into his lap. His pupils dilated and the instant my weight settled over his thighs, his cock hardened against my ass. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I've been thinking about what you told me last night. About surrendering to positive sensations."

He arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah," I said gently, toying with the curly hairs along his nape. "I thought maybe it would be good for you if you let me try a little of the foreplay this time."

Loki eyed me. "Is that right? What precisely did you have in mind?"

Trust him to be coy at a time like this. I decided to get right to the point. I lowered one hand to his trousers, undid them, and wrapped my fingers around his cock. Loki's hands squeezed my waist instinctively and he shuddered, clearing his throat. "Ah. I see."

"You can say no," I told him. "I won't be offended."

"A beautiful woman is offering to pleasure me," Loki said as dryly as possible. "Why on earth would I say no to that, pet?"

"Oh, so now I'm beautiful," I teased. "Before I was just plain. Is that it? I'm only beautiful when I'm servicing you, God of Mischief?"

Loki chuckled. "Fair enough. Perhaps I have downplayed how appealing I find you, merely because I did not want you to acquire a complex about it."

I snorted. "Trying to keep my ego in check, huh?"

"It is for your own good," he sniffed. "Can't have you thinking you have me wrapped around your little finger, mortal woman."

I let a sly smirk stretch my lips as I added a circling motion to the way I stroked his cock. "Don't I?"

Loki growled and nipped my lower lip, his voice deepening. "Careful, pet. Become too much of a naughty girl and I shall have to punish you accordingly."

I laughed softly. "You can't threaten me with a good time, Loki."

I pushed on his shoulders, and he took the hint. He stretched out on the bed, taking me with him, staring up at me as if he wanted to devour me whole. I undressed. Then I flattened my body against his and kissed him as I continued slow, lazy strokes of his cock, excited as I felt the tip getting wetter as his arousal grew. He exhaled into my mouth, purring, running his fingers down to my ass and cupping it. His groans of enjoyment emboldened me, so I decided to take a chance to see if the God of Mischief had a thing for dirty talk the same way I did.

"Do you like how this feels, Loki?" I asked, bringing my hips down against his lap to add some pressure on top of my movements.

"You know I do," he whispered back.

"Do you want more?"

He slid his hands down to grip my ass, driving a moan from my throat. "Yes, pet."

"Do you trust me?"

Loki's topaz eyes slid halfway open, and he studied me. "I do not trust anyone."

Then he sighed softly against my lips. "But if I were to trust someone, it would be you."

"Okay," I whispered back as I balanced on my knees over him. "Good enough."

I piled my hair over one shoulder and lowered my gaze to where my hand rested. I hadn't had a lot of time to appreciate him before, and now I did. Loki truly did have a gorgeous cock, and I noticed his skin flushed as he saw me taking stock of him. I drew his pants further down until he finally kicked them off and gently ran the pads of my fingers up one side of the shaft while my other hand dipped to cup his sack. Loki's eyelids fluttered, wanting to close, and yet I could tell he wanted to watch more than anything. His words about feeling undeserving of redemption or just of simple pleasures had sunk beneath my skin. Loki was a smug, impossible jerk most of the time, but not all of the time. I'd never had a man tell me anything so candidly about myself, and about how I should be treated. He was no saint, but I still thought he deserved to have nice things same as anyone else.

I held his gaze as I bent over him enough to brush my lips against the tip of his cock. He exhaled harshly, his large frame tensing on the bed, so I lowered one hand to his thigh and stroked it. "Relax."

He clenched his jaw, but nodded tightly and allowed the tension in his muscles to flood out of him. I waited until his breathing steadied somewhat before letting my tongue stroke over the tip, tasting him for the first time. A little salty, a little sweet, the skin hotter here than on the rest of him.

Loki's hand shot out to grip the nape of my neck. I kept still and simply waited. His fingers loosened their hold and he instead stroked the spot, nodding to me to continue now that he'd gotten himself under control. His touch encouraged me, so I swallowed the head of his cock this time, sucking him clean of precum. Loki shifted on the sheets, moaning on his next exhale, his thumb brushing my cheek. I figured he could handle more now, and allowed my jaw to go slack. I took him inside my mouth completely, stopping just short of my throat, relishing the next groan of pleasure that left him. He muttered something in another language as I drew him out again and then settled my fingers around his now wet cock to stroke in the absence of my mouth. I went slow just to keep from overstimulating him, alternating with my mouth and my hand, keeping it steady. Loki's hand wandered up over my neck to my hair and then back down to my shoulder in a pattern, his brilliant eyes fixed on my face, his expression somewhere between tortured and elated.

I sped up gradually, and sucked a little harder, and that was when he truly fell under my spell. He couldn't watch me any longer, instead letting his head roll back on his neck, pulling me towards him as lightly as he could without initiating a full-on mouthfuck, his hips rising helplessly to push his cock deeper. It was a challenge, but I liked seeing him so raw and needy this way.

"Fuck," he rasped in between shuddering breaths. "Pet, you're astoundingly good at this. If you do not stop, I will be useless to you this night."

I certainly didn't want that--not when blowing him had me so wet and clenched down below that I thought I was going to pull a muscle in my pussy or something--and yet I felt very tempted to keep going. I'd seen Loki's face in ecstasy, and it was damned beautiful. Breathtaking. A perverse little thrill ran down my spine as I imagined him coming down my throat and shouting my name in praise.

I let him fall free from my mouth and the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "You want to come, don't you, Loki?"

"Gods, yes," he growled, his eyes like hellfire as he stared at me with all the want in the known universe. "More than anything right now."

I gave him my best coy smile. "Good."

With a snarl, he gripped my arm and dragged me up the length of his body, kissing me fiercely. He pinned me to his chest with his arms and ravaged my lips, his voice rougher than sandpaper. "But when I come, it will be in your sweet cunt, deep inside, where I can claim you as no other man can. I will bury myself beneath your skin, my lovely pet, so deep you can never remove my essence. You will be mine now and evermore when I am through with you this night, always craving me, never sated. Wicked girl. You've brought out the monster."

I thought he would roll me onto my back, but he didn't. Instead, he shoved my legs further apart with his thighs and then slid into me in one quick, hard, smooth motion.

_"Loki!"_

I threw my head back, my spine arching, as the sudden entry dragged me in an undertow of sheer bliss. I'd been too keyed up from our foreplay, already aching and sensitive and overeager. Loki gripped a handful of my hair and yanked on it to keep my head back as he hammered into my soaking heat immediately, not waiting for me to get acclimated to him. I raked my nails down his shoulders and chest, crying out on the seventh thrust, and I came hard on his cock, my pussy a sopping mess around him as I all but melted. Loki growled in satisfaction and released my hair enough to roll us over. Still trembling, I landed against the pillow and could only watch in drunken awe as he climbed above me, lifting my legs onto his shoulders.

"Mm, that's it, pet," he purred as he kissed the inside of my knee, swiveling his hips to draw tiny whimpers out of me as his cock butted against the end of my canal. "Give me everything. Every inch of you. Surrender to me, to your god, and I will reward you handsomely."

He latched those big hands onto my hips and pumped into me again, fiercely, deeply, ruthlessly. I clung to his forearms, my head thrown back as his had been earlier, moaning myself hoarse as he fucked me to my next orgasm in minutes. Nirvana saturated my skin and shook me down to the bones. I felt feverish and crazed and yet all I wanted was more, more, _more_.

Loki flipped me onto my belly and wrenched one arm behind my back, his lips sucking at my ear lobe as he slid into me again. His heavy chest kept me pinned, his hips slapping against my ass with every punishing thrust, as much fighting me as he was fucking me. I couldn't help but squirm, trying to keep him from finding my spot again and fucking me into submission, but it was a fool's errand. By now, Loki knew me like the back of his hand. I was exactly as he had warned me, his toy, his plaything.

"I know you want to come again," Loki whispered, nipping the shell of my ear. "Tell me, pet. Tell me you want to come again."

I shook my head, clinging to the last remaining shred of pride that I had. Loki chuckled and let go of my arm in favor of gripping one half of my ass and squeezing it, pulling me harder onto his cock as he rocked into me. "You think I can't feel it, pet? That lewd, wet little cunt squeezing me so deliciously? You're dripping around me with your need to come. Such a naughty thing you are."

I could hear the vulpine smile in his tone. "But how naughty, I wonder..."

He slid his thumb down over my slickness, wetting it, and then pressed it into my ass. He didn't breach it, but the sudden pressure was too much to bear. I convulsed underneath him, mewling his name, and came again, shuddering and twitching my way through the climax. Loki moaned in my ear, his face pressed into my disheveled hair, his hips stuttering in their rhythm as he spilled into me at long last. He stilled on top of me after a few slow thrusts and then we both lay there in a heap, trying to catch our respective breaths.

"Loki?" I mumbled.

"Yes, pet?" he answered in an equally exhausted tone.

"You are a stone cold freak."

The God of Mischief laughed lazily in my ear and then brushed a kiss against my temple. "So I am, my little mate."


	7. Last Day (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki has a curious request.

I woke up the morning of our sixth day in Loki's arms, sprawled on his chest like a snuggling kitty cat, and he surprised me with, "Let's take a bath."

I propped my chin on his chest and blinked sleepily at him. "Hmm?"

"This is one of the largest suites," Loki explained, smoothing one big hand between my shoulder blades, which elicited a purr out of me. "There is a garden tub."

"Oh, right." I thought it over. Odd request, but after our activities, I always needed to clean up anyway. Naturally, I'd been taking showers. "Sure."

He didn't quite smile, but he did flash me a pleased look before giving me a peck on the lips and sliding out from under the covers. I hung back for a second, just to enjoy the view. Fun fact: the God of Mischief has a nice ass.

Loki paused in the doorway when he noticed I hadn't moved yet and lifted an eyebrow wordlessly. I did my best to imitate one of his lecherous grins. "Sorry. Enjoying the show."

He let out a little laugh. "You'll have me blushing soon, pet."

I scooped the sheets into a makeshift toga around me, since it was chilly, and gathered some clean underwear. I heard the roar of the water and felt the first brush of vapor as I stepped inside the bathroom to put the items on the counter. Loki had stooped to check the temperature--also giving me a nice view--and plugged the drain to allow it to fill. He faced me and seemed amused by my toga.

"What?" I asked, fidgeting. "I get cold easily."

"Yes, I sometimes forget Midgardians get cold," he mused, wrapping a lock of my hair around one finger. "Being what I am."

I nibbled my lower lip. "It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Yes," he said bluntly. "But not as much as it used to. I think perhaps some of the resentment died with Odin."

"No offense, but from what I heard, he was a piece of work."

Loki snorted. "You have no idea."

"I have enough," I insisted, leaning back against the counter. I cleared my throat and adopted an accent similar to Loki and Thor's. "Gee, by the way, I sired your genocidal older sister and banished her to Hel and I could have told you in the thousand or so years you've been alive that she's gonna come back and try to wipe out the universe after I die but I chose to wait to tell you literal minutes before keeling over because reasons."

Loki blinked at me, slowly, and I worried he was about to smack me, but then his shoulders shook and he started laughing. "I suppose when you say it in such a manner, it is beyond ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Odin was a dickhead," I told him severely. "To use the vernacular."

Loki shook his head. "You'll not hear any protest from me, pet, I assure you."

“I also heard your mother was lovely.”

Loki gave me a faint smile, and there were equal parts loss and fondness in it. “Yes, she was. On Midgard, I believe you call such beings angels, and that is what she was. Too good for any of us ruffians.”

“And did you learn your propensity for mischief from her?”

Loki’s smile widened, enough to show creases at the corners. “She would deny it, but quite a bit of it came from her. She taught me nearly all the magic I know. She was a master at work. She could weave the most intricate, beautiful, complicated spells.”

I’d seen a portrait of her once, this golden-haired angel, so regal and yet kindness shone in her eyes. Thor favored her a lot, and yet the way that Loki stood and certain expressions he had at rare times reminded me of that serene, playful expression I’d seen on Frigga’s face. The sons of Odin certainly had rough edges to them, but I got the sense that they had become decent men thanks to her love and her teachings. I don’t think either of them would have minded being called the sons of Frigga, based on how they spoke of her.

Loki flicked a stray hair out of my eyes. “Not to be presumptuous, but you’d have liked her. She had very little patience for foolish people and she was witty and clever.”

“Having met you and Thor, trust me, you’re absolutely right I’d have liked her.”

Loki cocked his head slightly. “You’ve met my brother?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, waving a hand dismissively. “Tony would have little Meet and Greets that were optional for SHIELD faculty and staff to mingle. Sometimes he’d have an Avenger drop by to do photo ops and boost team morale. I went to a few when I first started and bumped into Thor at one.”

Loki eyed me. “And?”

“And,” I said, sensing his mounting suspicion and insecurity. “He's probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met. Extremely polite. Took every single photo anyone asked him to take. And then he proceeded to drink everyone under the table and it was hilarious. Drank the entire bar on a bet.”

Loki rolled his eyes, but his expression didn’t sour. “That sounds like Thor, alright.”

“I’m pretty sure Tony only convinced him to mingle because he said it was open bar.”

Loki snorted. “You’re not wrong. Did you take a photograph with him?”

I shuffled on my bare feet. “Uh, no.”

“Why not?”

I cleared my throat. “I…don’t think I photograph very well. It was just enough to say hi and make small talk.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Sometimes,” I admitted.

“Well,” he said as he shut off the faucet now that the water had reached the proper height in the tub. “I cannot change the way you think, but I will say that perhaps you should reconsider your outlook about your appearance in the future. You teased me before about only calling you beautiful while you were, ahem, servicing me. Maybe I should elaborate.”

He tipped my chin up so I would look at him. “Beauty is not about your physical appearance. It is not so superficial. Beauty is the whole of one’s being, their mannerisms, their beliefs, their hopes, their faults, their strengths. It is the whole of a person. You are combative and stubborn and cynical, but you are also intelligent and forgiving and compassionate. To me, that is nothing short of beautiful.”

Loki then extended a finger, pointing. “Now get your beautiful ass in this tub.”

I laughed before I could help it. “Fine, fine.”

I started to take off the makeshift toga, but Loki beat me to it. He gave me that wolfish grin as he found the tucked edge and slowly tugged it free, watching the white sheet unravel and helping it along when it unfolded around my back. He hummed happily once it puddled around my feet and stooped enough to kiss me lightly before giving my bum a little tweak, which made me giggle. I climbed into the tub and Loki followed suit, tugging me into his lap. The water was just this side of boiling, but not uncomfortable. Plus, Loki’s naturally cool skin took away some of the heat along my naked spine. I wished we had some fragrant candles or bubbles, but this would certainly do anyhow. My muscles relaxed. My thoughts quieted. I felt myself unfurling until I was pliant on top of him, unbothered by anything else.

And for a while, there was nothing but the two of us relaxing together.

Then Loki pressed a kiss to the shell of my ear and whispered, "Play hooky with me."

My eyes opened and I frowned up at the ceiling, wondering if I'd imagined him saying it. I shifted a little and glanced at him. "Hmm?"

"That is the term, yes?" he asked, brushing a stray hair away from my neck.

"Well, yeah, but..."

"But what?"

I stared at him. "You...want to spend the day with me?"

"Yes."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Whatever we want."

I blinked at him. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason why?"

I licked my lips. "No. I guess not. I just...I'm just surprised."

He arched an eyebrow. "Am I not the God of Mischief? Surprising people is my specialty, pet."

"Point taken." I faced forward and grabbed my loofa and the bar of soap perched on the dish nearby. I lathered it up and started washing my arms. Loki's chest rumbled with what I realized was suppressed laughter.

"You are flustered."

"Am not," I grumbled, pretending the hot water was why my cheeks were burning.

Loki's arms encircled me, and he gave me a little squeeze, kissing my neck. "Such a shy little maiden at times. You are so very interesting, aren't you? You have no trouble accepting the wicked things I wish to do to you in my bed, and yet the simple mention of spending time with you makes you blush."

"I'm not blushing," I protested. "This bath water is a million degrees."

He chuckled more deeply this time and stole my soapy loofa. "If you say so, silly girl."

I rinsed my arms off while Loki washed my shoulders and back. The bubbles from the soap dispersed over the water as it dipped below the surface, turning it white, and once they'd been soaked free of the loofa, he took the soap and rubbed it between his hands. He slid them down my sides and worked it into my skin in gradual circles, patient despite the growing hardness I felt against my ass. I resisted a long sigh of relief to feel those long, powerful fingers stroking my skin. He rubbed it into my belly, up over my breasts, teasing them lightly but not with much intention to seduce me, paused again for more soap. He swept his hands over my thighs, down my calves once I curled my legs in enough for him to reach, his deep, measured breaths against my shoulder blades calming. It was one of the nicest moments I'd ever had, period. Being pampered and treated sweetly by the man who only days ago had been driving me up the wall.

Once he was done, he kissed my temple. "My turn."

My heartbeat warped to lightspeed.

It wasn't as if I hadn't been close to Loki since that first night we spent together, but doing something so domestic with him strangely made me more nervous than sleeping with him. He was right. It was a silly thing, but nevertheless, my pulse leapt into the thousands as I turned in his lap and straddled him, taking the soap and working up a lather over my hands. He watched patiently as I spread my soapy fingers over his broad shoulders, across his biceps, down his forearms, and then back towards his chest. It took a great deal of concentration to focus as I felt the length of his cock pressed against my inner thighs, but I managed anyway. Loki's stare intrigued me. He seemed almost contemplative. I'd never venture to guess the thoughts of an immortal god, but I wondered what he was thinking about as he remained motionless as I bathed him.

Once I finished, he wrapped his arms around me again and drew me down to him for a kiss. "What is your answer, my little mate?"

I thought it over. Well, the good thing about being efficient was that I had already finished a complete and total profile on the night bayers. All my work had been submitted in a portfolio and a field report. The remainder of today would be writing a recommendation for Alaska's local authorities and submitting protected status for the creatures to stay out of sight. It was my last 24-hours here, and after I reported in, SHIELD would be none-the-wiser if I chose to play hooky with the God of Mischief.

"Sure," I said, looping my arms around his neck. "I'll play hooky with you. What do you want to do, pray tell?"

Loki's fingers played up and down my naked spine. "I thought perhaps you could show me how to make a Midgardian meal and then we could explore the countryside, after which we would return here for..."

He licked his lips, those topaz eyes glittering from under his dark lashes. "...well, I'll let your imagination fill in the rest."

Which it did. Thoroughly. I fought down a shiver and pressed another kiss to his lips. "Let's do it."


	8. Last Day (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Loki is taught how to make a Midgardian breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long absence. My goal is to get this fic finished by New Years so we'll see if I can do so. Thanks for being patient.

What the hell do immortal demigod princes eat for breakfast?

That was the $64,000 question after the two of us got dressed and headed into the kitchen. I mean, Loki was bloody royalty. I had no idea what Asgard would have served him, and there was absolutely no way a regular human woman like me could compare, but I got the sense that it wasn't so much about the food as it was about me teaching him to prepare it. I knew bits and pieces of Loki's past, and even during his warlord period, it was unlikely he'd cooked himself anything. He was probably just curious. 

I decided to go with the least processed items I could think of for a demigod: homemade biscuits, bacon, fresh fruit salad, and poached eggs. With any luck, he wouldn't completely hate it all. If he did, well, my ego was in for a bruising. I was used to it by now.

I made us both coffee first to tide our stomachs over and then gathered all the ingredients. Loki stood by the island counter and flicked his cool gaze over the things I'd set out already: flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, and milk. "What is the first dish we are preparing?"

"Biscuits," I said. "I assume you had pastry on Asgard."

"Yes," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Our cultures intersect more than you think they do, sweetling."

"Mm." I started measuring the dry items for him. "Do you really hate the food on Earth?"

"Not all of it," he admitted. "I am fond of this coffee creation of yours, for example. The alcohol is far too weak, but some of your wine here is not the worst thing I have ever tasted. Some of the spirits as well are favorable.” 

“I can’t even begin to imagine what it would take to get your drunk on our alcohol.”

Loki lifted an eyebrow. “I would drown before I became inebriated.”

I chuckled. “Probably. Alright, roll up those sleeves, your highness. Let’s get to work. First, you’re going to sift these ingredients together: that’s flour, baking powder, and salt.”

“Sift?” he echoed.

“Mm-hmm. Run them through this little sifter here so they’re evenly mixed together.”

I held sifter out over the ceramic bowl I’d neatly placed on the counter in front of him. Loki dumped the dry ingredients into it and I made a gentle tapping motion against my hand, dusting them into a mound in the bowl. I cut squares of shortening with a knife and plunked them in, handing him a fork. “Work that into it, please.”

He frowned slightly, but obeyed, squishing the shortening until the whole thing resembled crumbs. I retrieved the milk and told him to keep stirring as I poured it in. Eventually, dough formed. I helped him scoop it out and onto wax paper with plenty of flour already down. “Now we get it evenly coated so it’s not so sticky. Just roll it around in the flour until it’s on the whole thing.”

“This feels rather strange,” he griped, but he obeyed. I lifted the rolling pin. “Now we flatten it. You want about a half inch thick. Try not to break anything when you press down.”

“I can measure my own strength,” he sniffed, accepting the pin. He pushed down and the dough almost split in half. I bit my lip and tried not to giggle. He scowled, reformed the dough, and tried again. And again. He managed on the third try not to shove it so far into the dough that it was too thin. He hesitated a bit upon starting to roll across the dough, but he got the hang of it once I guided him. It glided over and over until they were the right size and I handed him the biscuit-shaped cookie cutter. “Make as many as you can from this mold.”

He pressed out about eight and I added them into the baking pan one by one. I formed the remaining dough into another small loaf and Loki flattened it again and made the last three biscuits. Then I slipped the pan into the oven and dusted off my hands. “There. Now you’ve made biscuits.”

“At last, my life has reached its high point,” he said with a roll of his eyes. 

“Ha-ha,” I snarked as I brought out a cast iron skillet. “Cooking is a practical skill and requires talent to do so correctly, your majesty.”

“Mm, perhaps you’re right,” he mused, nuzzling the nape of my neck and encircling me in his flour-y arms. “You are good with your hands.”

“As are you,” I teased, then hip-checked him to one side as I fired up the stove. “Now go cut the fruit, since we both know you’re an artist with a blade.”

“Why, thank you, sweetling.” I heard the neat click of the blade on the wooden board as he chopped away. To my surprise, the cadence was quick and he never swore as if he’d cut himself. I’d predicted right that he’d done this part before even if it hadn’t been for a fruit salad. “What are these fruits, pray tell?”

“Green apples, red and green grapes, mandarin oranges, and pineapples.” 

I heard a few crunches as he sampled the fruits. “Mm. This yellow one is new.”

“That’s the pineapple.”

“I like it. Flavorful.”

I bit my lip. Loki was never cute, but that came rather close, actually. He’d probably be cross if I told him as much. 

The skillet now hot, I laid the bacon inside it carefully. Loki reappeared to peek over my shoulder with interest as it sizzled. I filled a pot with water and set it beside the bacon, firing it up into a boil. 

“Can you crack an egg without getting the shell pieces everywhere?” I asked as I flipped the bacon over. 

Loki eyed me. “Did you just ask if I am a nitwit?”

I sighed. “It was an honest question, not an insult. You’re extremely strong.”

“I do not shatter your very delicate bones whilst we are in the throes of passion. Yes, mortal woman, I can crack an egg.”

“Good.” I whisked the bubbling water until it swirled smoothly and offered him a bowl. “An egg, if you please.”

“As delicately as I can,” he sneered, just barely tapping it so that the egg white and yolk plopped into it. “And what is it you are doing there anyway?”

I lifted the whisk out and nudged him forward. “This is called a poached egg. Drop it in as close to the water’s surface as you can.”

“Odd.” He deposited the egg into the hot water and it danced about in the pot. I covered it with a lid for a few minutes. Once ready, I popped it out with a slotted spoon and set it on the plate nearby. I repeated the process until we had six eggs total: four for him, two for me. The oven beeped and I removed the biscuits, asking Loki to brush the melted butter on top of them. I added bacon to both plates and piled the fruit salad into bowls, then brought them over to the table.

“Voila,” I said with a smile. “You, Loki of Asgard, have prepared your first Midgardian meal.”

“A joyous occasion, no doubt.” He stooped to kiss me lightly. “Let us see how it compares.” 

That made me wince a bit. I was sure he had opulent meals on Asgard and this wouldn’t be anywhere close, but I hoped for the best as I sat across from him. I pretended not to watch intensely as he tried each item. Naturally, he left his expression unreadable simply to antagonize me further. That being said, he cleaned both his plate and his bowl and even went for a second cup of coffee. 

“Well?” I said. “Out with it. What did you think?”

“I think I understand why you enjoy cooking,” he said. “There is a small sense of accomplishment in creating something pleasant to eat and serving it to another person.”

“Thanks. But I meant about the food.”

“I have had better.” His eyes sparkled then. “And I have had much worse. Thank you for my first Midgardian cooking lesson, pet.”

I tried not to smile like a dope. It was extremely difficult. “You’re welcome.”

I didn’t expect his help, but Loki did bring the dishes to the sink, which was a nice surprise. I washed and dried them, then turned to him. “What next? I think you said you wanted to go hiking.”

He wrapped his arms around me, linking his fingers over the small of my back. “Why, yes, I believe I have just the thing for us.”

“You sound like you’re about to lead me into a trap.”

Loki leaned in towards my ear, his tone honeyed. “Do you trust me, pet?”

I thought it over, very aware of his warm breath on my neck and his powerful arms around my fragile body. I pressed into him a little more and smiled to myself. “Yeah, I guess I do. So much for self-preservation.”

He chuckled and kissed my ear. “Indeed, my little mate.”


	9. Last Day (Part Three)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Loki playing hooky comes to an end.

After breakfast, I dressed warmly but light enough to be able to move around easily and we traversed the mountainous terrain. Loki kept a good pace, not leaving me behind with those long legs, offering help up the more difficult parts as we hiked. Both of us enjoyed our frosty surroundings and I paused every so often to take photos of the more beautiful places we traveled. It was a solid couple of hours before we reached near the peak, and Loki surprised me yet again.

Loki tugged me up over a ledge and I heard the slosh of water. My boots crunched on the snow as I noticed what seemed like a natural collection of spring water in a chest-deep pool. It had allowed for some vegetation to grow around it, including tiny bright blue flowers. It overlooked the valley and the rest of the mountain and was tucked close to the cliff, meaning the bitter wind couldn’t quite reach it.

“Oh,” I said in awe. “This is gorgeous.”

“I thought you might feel that way,” Loki said, his tone edging on smug, but that was nothing new. “We have an excellent view of the countryside. Fancy a dip, pet?”

I blinked at him. “Loki, it’s like ten degrees up here, not counting the wind chill. I can’t get in that water. I’ll freeze to death.”

He clucked his tongue as he strode over and knelt, placing his fingertips to the lapping water. “O ye of little faith.”

Loki’s eyes shut and then a faint glimmer of gold light enveloped the pool. Seconds later, steam rose from it and then bubbles gushed to the surface. He’d turned the spring into a hot tub.

I shook my head and stifled laughter. “Loki, you are the most extra person in the entire galaxy.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon.”

“Nothing.” I walked over and tested the hot water with a hand, considering it. Well, I had worked up quite a sweat from the hike. No one could see us from this vantage point, not even if for some reason a helicopter flew by. It would be a good way to relax.

I lifted onto my tiptoes and kissed Loki. “Thank you. This is great.”

He winked and intently watched me take off my outer clothes, unashamed in his admiration of my body. It still made me a little shy, but I managed as I lowered myself into the pool in just my bra and undies. I could tell the water was clean, but I wasn’t quite up for skinny dipping in this climate. Loki disrobed as well and climbed in, naked, because of course he was, and settled in beside me. I draped my legs over his lap and relaxed into him, my head on his shoulder, watching the sunlight spill over the snow-drenched landscape. Birds called. Animals chittered. Wind howled. Beautiful.

And we would have to leave it all behind in less than a day.

“Your mind wanders,” Loki murmured after a while. “You are thinking of when we leave this place.”

“Mm,” was all I said.

“Are you worried?” he asked.

“Not especially.”

“Good.”

“What will you do?”

“Whatever I want. It is my way.”

“Will you still help the Avengers?”

He snorted. “Only when the situation is beyond dire. I do not enjoy their company anymore than I enjoy my brother’s company.”

I nibbled my lower lip. “So…if you found a new planet to settle Asgard, would you leave?”

He shifted underneath me slightly. “Have I a reason to stay?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you?”

“Do not answer my question with a question. It is quite irritating.”

“Well, among the two of us, I’m not the mind-reader, so I can’t answer that question.”

He moved suddenly, pushing me off his lap and cornering me. He planted his hands on either side of my body and stared down at me, his eyes narrowing. “What you want to ask me is if you are enough to make me stay. So ask it, mortal.”

“That’s not my place. You are a prince of an ancient alien race of gods. I’m a SHIELD scientist. It would be arrogant to assume I could in any way make you stay here on Earth.”

“Have I misjudged you? Are you a coward, woman?”

“I’m not a coward,” I said quietly. “I’m not going to ask because I already know the answer.”

“Do you?” he whispered. “I thought you said I was the mind-reader. Ask.”

“Loki—”

“Ask. Me. Mortal.”

I swallowed hard, held captive by that white-hot gaze, powerless to look elsewhere. I licked my dry lips and steeled myself. My voice came out rough. “Am I enough to make you stay, Loki?”

He didn’t move, didn’t speak, for quite some time, just penetrating my whole person with his stare. My heart wouldn’t slow down. I thought it would explode from the tension building in every limb.

“No.”

There. He’d said it. Now I could stop wondering about what this whole thing had been. Nothing more than a getaway. A fantasy. I would go back to my life and he would go back to his and we’d pretend this never happened. Good. It would be easier that way.

I started to get up, but then he gripped my hip so I couldn’t rise. He leaned in closer and spoke again.

“But you could be someday.”

I exhaled, hearing a sob somewhere in there, not even realizing I’d held my breath. “Loki, I—”

“You should know by now you can’t hide anything from me. You wear your heart on your sleeve, little mortal.” He brushed my hair behind my ear. “I do not consider you a conquest. I am not so callous as to toss you aside when we return to civilization. You made a choice when you decided to help me through this affliction. You did not do it just to be kind. You did it because you find me worth something to you, even if you did not know it at the time. Had anyone else been assigned, I would have hidden myself away until mating season ended. I opened up to you for a reason, pet. I wish to know you. Will you let me know you, darling?”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “You might not like what you find.”

“Then I shall make peace with it.”

His hand cupped my chin as he guided me into a slow, steamy kiss. I slipped out of the hot spring and Loki kindly waved a hand to dry us with his magic. We redressed and resumed the hike, this time heading towards the base of the mountain on the east side. I shifted nervously when I recognized the area, tugging on his sleeve.

“Loki, aren’t we—”

“Yes,” he said. “Just trust me, pet.”

I chewed my lower lip as we reached the entrance to a cave, but not just any cave. The cave where the night bayers dwelled. And I very much did not want to get on their bad side.

By now, it was late afternoon so the rosy sunlight slanted at an angle, casting large shadows. Loki gave my hand a little squeeze before he let go and cupped his hands over his mouth. He let out a long, slow noise somewhere between a groan and a howl. A moment later, collective howls answered him and then the night bayer pack appeared at the entrance to the cave. They shook out their fur and eyed the two of us, neither hostile nor friendly just yet. I kept still, waiting to see what the hell Loki had just gotten me into.

The creatures surrounded us and began sniffing, the alpha female leading the pack. She eventually got up on her hindlegs and scent-marked our ankles, then our hands. She let out a short bark and then shuffled back inside the cave, her pack following. Loki grinned and gestured. “After you.”

I blinked at him. “Wait, what?”

“There was a reason for what we did yesterday,” he said. “Those were introductions. We passed a test. The pack has accepted us. Would you like to see their den?”

I almost screamed. “Um, _yes please._ ”

He laughed lightly as I bolted past him into the cave after the mythical wintry creatures. The cave had been carved out decades ago by running water and probably expanded by other forms of wildlife. The ceilings were a little shy of about six feet but the space was large and mostly dry with dirt over the stone beneath our feet. There was a large main chamber where the rest of the pack nestled, some of them sleeping, the pups in the corner playing with each other.

Once the rest returned, the other pack members swarmed over to inspect us. I snapped photos like mad and then let myself be tugged down with them by the pups. They jumped all over us with excited yips, teasing and nipping, eager to be petted or roughhoused with. After playtime, they made a dogpile on top of Loki for a nap and I almost giggled myself unconscious from how sweet he looked with these big mounds of fluff surrounding him. We stayed with them until nightfall when the alpha and her hunters left to bring back dinner for the pack. I watched them disappear into the brush with a deep sense of fondness. I hoped our planet would be kind to them. They were truly beautiful animals.

We returned to the base and I showed Loki how to make dinner—nothing fancy, just fettucine alfredo and spring mix salad—and then we retired to his room.

Where things got interesting.

He didn’t rush me. Instead, he helped me out of my parka and scarf, then my SHIELD jumpsuit, his gaze warmer with every layer that fell away. When I was just down to my bra and panties, he drew me into his embrace, gently running his hands over my skin as he kissed me—my spine, my belly, my upper thighs, my shoulder blades, my nape—each in sequence as if he didn’t want to miss a single part of me. He settled me over his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed, releasing low sighs as I undid the buttons to his tunic and pushed off his shirt. I sunk my nails into his skin and dragged them down his chest slowly. Loki exhaled against my lips, shuddering with desire, sweeping his fingers up my sides in wordless encouragement.

“If you only knew what you did to me, pet,” he whispered.

“Tell me,” I whispered back, lightly stroking over where I’d dragged my nails.

“Your touch is intoxicating. It takes every bit of my self-control not to ravage you like a wild animal at all times. Even when mating season is over, I will still crave you. I will still crave these soft lips and delectable curves. I will still crave hearing your voice call my name again and again in ecstasy. I can’t get you out of my system and I have no desire to even if I could.”

“Fair enough,” I said as I slipped my fingers through that thick, dark hair. “Considering what you do to me.”

Loki smirked, not even needing to glance downward as he popped my bra loose. “And what is it that I do to you, exactly?”

He pressed a slow, hot kiss between my breasts and then dragged his tongue across the swell of the left one enough to envelop my nipple. I bit back a moan and tried to concentrate on speaking. “It scares me how well you can read me. You just inherently know what I want. I try so hard not to just fall apart when we’re together like this but you always melt me into a puddle.”

“Mm, yes, that sounds familiar,” he mused, running his hand lightly across the dampness in my panties. He lavished my breast with light bites and then went for the other one to give it equal attention. “But surely you can do better than that, my lovely mortal. I must know how I am able to melt you. Tell me. In great detail. I am most curious.”

I blushed as I recognized those words. “Egomaniac.”

He chuckled. “Yes. I apologize for nothing.”

I shut my eyes as he continued spreading kisses across my naked upper torso. “You know I like to be dominated to some degree, but you also let me have control when I want it. You’re only rough with the intention of making me feel good, not because of your ego or because you want to hurt me. You tease, but you don’t withhold. You push me to my limits, but not beyond them. You’re attentive without being overwhelming.”

“I am pleased to know my efforts are appreciated.” He flipped our positions. I settled against the sheets that smelled of pine oil and fresh snow and Loki, staring up at him unafraid as he joined me. He slid my panties off and then shed his trousers, nudging my knees apart. “Do you know the thing I find most irresistible about you, pet?”

I shook my head. Loki sank onto his forearms above me, aligning his tall frame with me as much as he could, his brilliant eyes commanding my attention. “It could have all been a lie. I am, after all, the God of Lies. I could have been tricking you into thinking that the night bayers affected me to convince you to give in to me. You are a smart woman, so I know it crossed your mind, but…”

He sighed softly, reverently. “You trusted me. Even against all odds. Even if it could have meant you ended up getting hurt. You did not make accusations. You showed me sympathy and understanding and genuine interest. It has been centuries since I met someone willing to go out on a limb for me, to show kindness without any hidden agenda. I do not know why nor do I feel I am worthy of such trust, but I appreciate it.”

I slipped my arms around his neck. “You are more than your past, Loki. That’s why. Never forget it.”

He stared at me, his eyes a little wide, breathless for a few seconds. He shook his head as if in disbelief and then kissed me fiercely, a growl entering his voice, making it sound coarse. “Nine hells, woman. Why do you always know exactly what to say to make me want you more than I already do?”

Loki broke from my mouth enough to slide down between my legs. I shrieked as he assaulted me with his lips and tongue, easily cajoling me into the first orgasm with a careful curl of his fingers. I took my revenge after I came down from my high, stroking his cock until he couldn’t help but thrust into my hand, groaning things in Old Norse under his breath. I kissed his throat, his chin, as I worked, stifling giggles at the purrs that left him at my touch. Fearsome and lethal on the outside, but a great big kitty if you stroked him just right.

I knew I’d gotten myself into trouble when he slid his forearms beneath my knees, ensuring that I couldn’t close my legs, using his weight and height against me, his kisses messy and urgent as he settled above me. I moaned myself hoarse when he slid into me at last, fighting the tight clutch of my overeager body. His cock twitched a few times, making me mewl from how sensitive I was to him, so full and brimming with heavenly sensations. I gripped his shoulders to try to ground myself as the first wave of heat enveloped me.

“Mm, this cunt,” Loki sighed against my lips. “This sweet, wet little cunt. There isn’t a finer woman in all of the Nine Realms. You are a bloody masterpiece, pet.”

He rocked into me once, eating the whimper that left my throat, his cock reaching impossibly deep inside me. My toes curled and my fingernails sunk into the flushed skin of his chest as the pleasure blossomed through my veins in a sweltering rush. Loki licked and sucked at my throat as he immediately settled into a strong rhythm, filling the air with utterly erotic, filthy whispers in my ear.

“That’s right, pet. Moan for me. Let me hear it. Let me know what I am doing to you.”

I wished I could be demure, but his sex and his naughty words were too much to handle. I clutched the back of his shoulders and tried to hold on as he fucked me into the bed. He knew when he had me on the ropes; I raked my nails down his back and held onto biceps, mewling desperately at the apex of every thrust.

“Come,” Loki ordered. “Come for me like a good girl.”

I squirmed, whining high and needy in my throat, unable to get any words out. He chuckled darkly and followed my movements so I couldn’t escape him. “Oh, no, you don’t, darling. Take this cock. Take it deep. Right where you want it. Right where you need it. Melt for me, my little mate.”

My spine arched and I only managed his name before my climax dragged me under. I kissed him as it thrummed underneath my sweat-slicked skin and drove me off the deep end, taking him with me for once. Loki flattened the heavy body on top of me, rutting into me so fast and hard that it triggered a second climax halfway through. He moaned out my name as he came and slowed a moment at a time, the pleasure lazily drifting over us both for entire minutes, stretching until it felt like hours.

Some eternity later, I nuzzled the spot underneath his jawline. He hummed and kissed the column of my throat, rousing from his temporary sex coma. He ran a hand through his curls to get them out of his face and smiled down at me in a rare moment of contentment. I looped my arms around his neck and cleared my throat a bit.

“You know, on Midgard, wolves mate for life. Is it the same for predators on Jotunheim? Should I be worried?”

Loki smirked. “Oh, quite worried, pet.”

I smiled and drew him down to me again. “Just as well. What’s life without a little danger?”

FIN


End file.
